Ace your Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification exam with our comprehensive mock exam. This 75-question practice test is meticulously designed to mirror the actual RBT exam, aligning with the latest 2025 RBT Task List as outlined by the BACB.
What to Expect:
- Realistic Exam Simulation: Experience the format and rigor of the actual certification test.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Test your knowledge across all core competencies, including:
- Measurement
- Assessment
- Skill Acquisition
- Behavior Reduction
- Documentation
- Professional Conduct
- Updated for 2025: Questions are tailored to reflect the most current RBT Task List.
- Free and Accessible: No signup or login required.
- Every Question and answer is explained.
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Results
#1. A parent tells the RBT that they want to adjust the goals in the client’s treatment plan without consulting the BCBA. What should the RBT do?
The RBT should inform the parent that the BCBA is responsible for making treatment plan adjustments
#2. The principle that interventions should be based on the simplest and least intrusive methods is known as the…
The least restrictive alternative principle emphasizes using the most effective but least intrusive interventions
#3. Upon arriving for a session, a parent informs you that the client has been engaging in aggressive behavior due to a new medication. They ask for your advice. What is the appropriate response?
The RBT should acknowledge the concern and inform the parent that they will notify the BCBA as medication management and associated behaviors are outside the RBTs scope of practice
#4. During a session, a client’s mother requests that you focus only on academic tasks and stop working on social skills, contrary to the behavior plan. What should you do?
The RBT should communicate the parents request to the BCBA who can adjust the behavior plan if appropriate and ensure that services align with the clients goals
#5. During a session, the RBT notices an increase in a client’s challenging behavior after introducing a new teaching strategy. What should the RBT do?
The RBT should communicate any significant changes or concerns to the BCBA for guidance and potential adjustments to the intervention
#6. A client’s parent insists that you use a specific intervention that is not evidence-based and contradicts the behavior plan. How should you handle this situation?
The RBT should professionally explain the necessity of following the established plan and report the parents request to the BCBA for further discussion
#7. If an RBT suspects that a client is being neglected at home, they are ethically obligated to:
Mandated reporters are required to report suspicions of abuse or neglect to authorities and inform their supervisor following legal and ethical guidelines
#8. The confidentiality of client information is protected under which ethical principle?
Privacy and confidentiality require professionals to protect personal information and disclose it only with consent or as required by law
#9. An RBT observes a colleague engaging in unethical behavior with a client. What is the appropriate first step?
Ethical guidelines require reporting unethical conduct to appropriate authorities starting with the supervisor
#10. In a fixed interval schedule, reinforcement is delivered:
Fixed interval schedules provide reinforcement for the first response after a set period
#11. When an RBT uses gestures or pointing to prompt a correct response, this is known as a:
Gestural prompts involve using physical movements like pointing to guide the client
#12. A client has difficulty starting assignments independently. The RBT provides a prompt immediately after giving the instruction, which is gradually delayed over time. This technique is called:
Time delay prompting involves increasing the interval between the instruction and the prompt to encourage independent responses
#13. Which of the following is an example of an unconditioned reinforcer?
Unconditioned reinforcers are naturally reinforcing without prior learning such as food water and warmth
#14. A behavior analyst is teaching a young child to pick up their toy blocks and place them in a box. When the child picks up a toy, the behavior analyst slides the box closer to the child after each block is picked up, making it easier for the child to complete the task. What type of prompt is the analyst using?
A positional prompt involves changing the location or orientation of a stimulus to evoke the desired behavior In this scenario the analyst manipulates the position of the box a stimulus to make it easier for the child to place the blocks inside thereby prompting the desired response A gestural prompt involves using physical movements to indicate what is desired A physical prompt involves physically guiding the individual to perform the action A modeling prompt involves demonstrating the desired behavior
#15. The bracket for March Madness was just announced last night. You’re going to go through and pick your bracket by choosing which team you think will win each matchup. What skill is demonstrated by picking teams you think are going to win?
Stimulus discrimination involves selecting the correct stimulus from a field of multiple stimuli When picking which team will win you need to discriminate between which team is better by looking at their statistics Stimulus discrimination with response differentiation would involve engaging in different responses by choosing between different teams The Premack principle is using high preference activities to reinforce low preference activities
#16. A community recreation center implements a health initiative to encourage members to sanitize gym equipment after use. Initially, staff provide frequent praise and reminders. Later, as they reduce reminders and feedback, patrons continue consistently sanitizing equipment without prompting. Which concept best describes the patrons’ behavior?
Maintenance refers to the continuation of a learned behavior after the intervention or teaching has been faded or removed In this case the patrons continue to sanitize the equipment even after the staff reduces praise and reminders Stimulus generalization occurs when a response is evoked by stimuli similar to the original stimulus Response generalization occurs when different responses are evoked by the same stimulus Discrimination Training involves reinforcing a behavior in the presence of a specific stimulus
#17. During meetings, Alina used to rarely speak up. Recently, whenever she shares ideas, colleagues enthusiastically ask follow-up questions and implement some of her suggestions. Over time, Alina participates more frequently in meetings, contributing even more insightful ideas. Which principle explains Alina’s behavior change?
Positive reinforcement involves adding a stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior Here colleagues are enthusiastically asking followup questions and implementing suggestions which increases the likelihood of Alina to share more Positive punishment and negative punishment decrease behavior so they are not appropriate answers in this scenario
#18. Which of the following is an example of shaping?
Shaping is a process of reinforcing successive approximations to a target behavior In this case the target behavior is writing their name Each time the child gets closer to writing their name it is reinforced The other options show an example of reinforcement negative reinforcement and extinction respectively
#19. Which type of teaching involves teaching skills in the natural environment?
Natural environment training involves teaching skills in the clients natural environment using naturally occurring stimuli and reinforcement Discrete trial training involves teaching skills in a structured controlled environment Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a behavior Chaining involves breaking down a complex behavior into smaller steps
#20. What is a task analysis?
A task analysis involves breaking down a complex skill or behavior into smaller discrete steps that can be taught individually and then chained together An FBA is used to find the purpose of a behavior Preference assessments are used to determine what items or activities an individual finds reinforcing Duration is a type of measurement
#21. What is chaining?
Chaining involves linking together individual responses to form a complex behavior Each response serves as a cue for the next response Reinforcing a behavior in the presence of a specific stimulus is an example of reinforcement Withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior is an example of extinction Providing prompts to evoke a desired response is an example of prompting
#22. If you are asked to explain differential reinforcement to a parent, which of the following explanations would be best?
When explaining ABA concepts to someone unfamiliar with the field it is important to avoid jargon and use simple easily understandable language This option clearly explains differential reinforcement as reinforcing appropriate communication and withholding reinforcement for hitting or screaming
#23. After recess, Glenn sits down and is given five worksheets. He is told to complete all five worksheets before he can use the computer. Glenn is on what type of reinforcement schedule?
A fixed ratio schedule involves providing reinforcement after a specific number of responses In this case Glenn must complete five worksheets a fixed number before receiving access to the computer This is a fixed ratio of 5
#24. A professional chef is evaluating his recipes. He wants to make a change to two steps in a recipe that contains 25 different steps. If the chef uses task chaining to teach his kitchen the new recipe, what would be most appropriate?
Total task chaining is most appropriate when the learner is already competent in most steps of the chain Since the kitchen staff already knows the recipe and only two steps are changing the most efficient approach is to teach the entire chain with a focus on the modified steps
#25. Jay loves dessert but is a picky eater. His mom tells him that if he wants dessert tonight, he will need to eat at least half the food on his dinner plate. Jay whines throughout but eventually eats his food. Jay’s mom used what?
A contingency is an ifthen statement that establishes a relationship between a behavior and a consequence In this scenario the contingency is if Jay eats half of his dinner then he gets dessert This differs from bribery where the reinforcer is given before the behavior and from negative reinforcement where something is removed to increase a behavior
#26. A therapist reinforces a child’s polite requests for attention and ignores shouting. This is an example of:
Differential reinforcement involves reinforcing a desirable behavior polite requests while withholding reinforcement for an undesirable behavior shouting
#27. You observe that a client often tries to avoid homework by complaining of headaches, and the teacher allows them to skip assignments. What is the likely function of the client’s behavior?
The clients behavior results in avoiding an unpleasant task homework indicating an escape function
#28. The four main functions of behavior recognized and applied in Behavior Analysis are:
The four main functions are access to tangibles automatic reinforcement escape and attention
#29. A client’s challenging behavior increases temporarily after reinforcement is withheld. This phenomenon is called:
An extinction burst is a temporary increase in the frequency or intensity of a behavior when reinforcement is first removed
#30. A client begins to engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB) during a session. What is the first priority for the RBT?
The RBTs first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the client implementing any necessary procedures to prevent harm
#31. When a client’s challenging behavior no longer produces the desired reinforcement, leading to a decrease in that behavior, this is known as:
Extinction involves discontinuing the reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior resulting in its decrease over time
#32. Gary tells his roommate he desperately needs to pass his upcoming exam. Gary asks his roommate to lock him in his room and only unlock the door so that Gary can only get out when Gary is done studying. If this increases how much Gary studies in the future, what type of consequence occurred?
Negative reinforcement involves the removal of an aversive stimulus contingent upon a behavior which increases the likelihood of that behavior in the future In this case Garys studying behavior increases because it leads to the removal of being locked in his room the aversive stimulus Positive reinforcement involves adding a reinforcing stimulus Positive punishment involves adding an aversive stimulus Negative punishment involves removing a reinforcing stimulus
#33. A behavior analyst conducting in-home services observes that whenever a client is given difficult puzzles, the client immediately starts crying, prompting the removal of the puzzles. Over sessions, puzzle presentation continues to evoke crying. Based on these observations, what reinforcement contingency is maintaining the client’s crying behavior?
Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus increasing the likelihood of the behavior in the future The puzzle is removed after the client cries which is increasing the likelihood of that behavior in the future The removal of the puzzle is a socially mediated contingency because another person is taking it away Positive reinforcement happens when you add something
#34. What is extinction?
Extinction is a procedure in which reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued leading to a decrease in the behavior The other options show examples of reinforcement pairing and prompting respectively
#35. What is differential reinforcement?
Differential reinforcement involves reinforcing one behavior while withholding reinforcement for another behavior This can be used to increase desired behaviors and decrease undesired behaviors Punishing unwanted behaviors is an example of punishment Ignoring all behaviors is an example of an inappropriate practice Reinforcing all behaviors does not teach discrimination
#36. Last year, you won $200 at a slot machine in Las Vegas. When you went back this year, you spent four hundred dollars and won nothing at all. Since then, you haven’t touched a slot machine. Winning nothing is an example of what?
Extinction involves withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior leading to a decrease in that behavior in the future In this case the reinforcement of winning money was withheld winning nothing which led to a decrease in the behavior of playing the slot machine It is important to note no stimulus was added or taken away
#37. Which of the following is an example of response blocking?
Response blocking involves physically preventing a person from engaging in a behavior Taking the pencil from Brent prevents him from snapping it which is an example of response blocking Note that this is in the moment not a response that happened in the past
#38. All of Amy’s friends are driving to the beach on Friday. Amy has to finish up her work first, and then she can leave the office and drive to join them. Leaving the office will most likely function as what?
Leaving the office functions as negative reinforcement because it involves the removal of an aversive stimulus work contingent upon completing her work This removal increases the likelihood that Amy will finish her work in the future to escape the office
#39. The reinforcer that is used in a non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) procedure should be chosen based on what?
In Noncontingent reinforcement NCR the reinforcer is delivered independently of the individuals behavior The reinforcer selected should be related to the function of the target behavior to effectively abolish the motivating operations that lead to the unwanted behavior If the reinforcer doesnt address the function of the behavior it will likely be ineffective
#40. Which measurement procedure records whether a behavior occurs at the exact moment an interval ends?
Momentary time sampling records whether the behavior occurs at the exact moment the interval ends not throughout the entire interval
#41. During a session, an RBT observes the time between a prompt and the client’s response. This measurement is called:
Latency is the time elapsed from the presentation of a stimulusprompt to the initiation of the response
#42. When collecting data on the percentage of correct responses, the RBT is measuring…
Percentage data represents the proportion of correct responses out of the total opportunities useful for assessing accuracy
#43. A behavior that is observable and measurable is referred to as:
An operational definition specifies observable and measurable components of a behavior allowing for consistent data collection
#44. The time between the end of one response and the beginning of the same response is called:
IRT measures the time between two successive responses It is useful for assessing rates of behavior
#45. Which of the following is a behavior-environment interaction that can be observed and measured?
Observable and measurable behaviors are those that can be seen and recorded such as verbal responses
#46. An RBT is instructed to use partial interval recording for a client’s hand-flapping behavior. This means the RBT will record…
Partial interval recording notes if the behavior occurred at any point during the interval not how many times
#47. An RBT is required to collect interobserver agreement (IOA) data periodically. This practice is important because it…
IOA checks help verify that data collected are accurate and consistent between observers
#48. A researcher is studying how long it takes participants to complete a puzzle after specific types of observation and training. The researcher will start a stopwatch when the participant begins and stop it when the puzzle is finished. They do this each time the participants attempt the puzzle. This is an example of measuring:
Duration recording measures the length of time a behavior occurs from beginning to end The researcher is measuring the length of time it takes to complete a puzzle Latency measures the time between a stimulus and the start of a response Interresponse time IRT measures the time between two successive responses Rate measures the frequency of a behavior over a period of time
#49. What is the purpose of a preference assessment?
The primary purpose of a preference assessment is to identify stimuli eg items activities that an individual prefers These preferred stimuli can then be used as reinforcers to motivate and teach new skills A functional behavior assessment FBA is used to find the purpose of a behavior Preference assessments do not assess congitive abilities or diagnose mental health disorders
#50. You’re talking with a parent when they tell you about a new behavior they observe from their son. The parent says their son will clap three times for no apparent reason. The parent also notes the clapping occurs when the son is alone, doing work, or even playing video games. What would you hypothesize as the function of the clapping?
The function of a behavior describes why it is occurring The four main functions are attention escape tangible and automaticsensory When a behavior occurs across various settings and events especially when the individual is alone the most likely function is automaticsensory as it provides internal feedback to the individual
#51. An election for student council is coming up at Elizabeth’s school. Elizabeth wants to better understand who the students might vote for, so she passes out a questionnaire and collects it afterwards. What type of assessment is she doing?
An indirect assessment involves gathering information about a behavior through methods like questionnaires interviews or surveys without directly observing the behavior in realtime Elizabeth is not observing the actual voting behavior shes collecting data through a questionnaire making it an indirect assessment
#52. Grant’s boss sits at each of his employees’ desks for an hour on Friday to see what each employee is accomplishing throughout the day. What type of assessment is Grant’s boss conducting?
Direct assessment involves observing and recording behavior as it occurs Grants boss is directly observing his employees in their natural work environment making it a direct assessment A functional analysis involves manipulating antecedents and consequences which is not described in the scenario
#53. Which type of assessment is the LEAST effective at identifying antecedents, consequences, and the function of behaviors?
Indirect assessments rely on secondhand information eg interviews questionnaires rather than direct observation of the client Therefore they are less reliable and effective in identifying the ABCs of behavior compared to direct observation methods or functional analyses
#54. Why is data collection important in ABA?
Data collection is essential in ABA because it allows us to track progress make databased decisions about treatment and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions While data collection is necessary for creating billable hours tracking progress is the primary purpose Data collection is not done to impress clients or to avoid legal issues
#55. During your most recent session with your client, you notice that your client will scratch himself when asked to complete a math assignment. You tell your BCBA that you think the client wants to escape from homework. The BCBA asks you, ‘What does the scratching look like?’ The BCBA wants to know what?
Topography refers to what the behavior looks like The BCBA is asking for a description of the physical form of the scratching behavior eg The client uses their fingernails to rake at their forearm Function refers to why the behavior is occurring
#56. When should data be collected?
Data collection should be systematic and consistent The behavior intervention plan will outline when how and what data should be collected Following the plan ensures reliable and valid data
#57. Which of the following is an example of shaping?
Shaping involves reinforcing gradual steps toward a desired behavior Each small improvement is rewarded until the full behavior is achieved
#58. What is the purpose of using prompts?
Prompts are used to assist a client in performing a behavior correctly They are gradually faded as the client gains independence
#59. Of the following differential reinforcement procedures, which one does NOT teach a replacement behavior?
DRO involves reinforcing the absence of the target behavior for a specific period It doesnt necessarily teach a specific replacement behavior but rather reinforces any behavior other than the target behavior DRA and DRI on the other hand specifically reinforce alternative or incompatible behaviors respectively
#60. If your target behavior was hair twirling, what would be the BEST definition to use in a behavior plan?
The best behavioral definition is objective clear concise and measurable It should clearly describe the behavior so that anyone can observe and measure it consistently Option C is the best because it is the most descriptive The fact that it occurs 10 times on average means that data can be collected
#61. What are the ethical concerns when using punishment?
Ethical concerns related to punishment include its temporary effects the lack of teaching new behaviors and the potential for negative side effects Because punishment does not teach new behaviors it must be used with reinforcement and because it is not permanent the use of reinforcement for alternative behaviors is critical
#62. Norma is instructed to use whole interval recording to track John’s on-task behavior. When will Norma record a response?
With whole interval recording the behavior must occur for the entire duration of the interval to be recorded as an occurrence If the behavior stops at any point during the interval it is not recorded
#63. If you want to measure time as it relates to a behavior of interest, which of the following measurement procedures would you NOT use?
Frequency measures how many times a behavior occurs but it does not inherently involve measuring time Interresponse time latency and duration all directly measure time in relation to a behavior
#64. Sam usually ignores the office vending machine. However, after skipping breakfast one morning, Sam feels drawn to it and purchases multiple snacks. On days Sam eats a substantial breakfast, the vending machine holds no appeal. Which concept best describes why skipping breakfast influences Sam’s snack purchasing behavior?
Motivating Operations MOs are environmental variables that temporarily alter the value of a reinforcer or punisher and influence behavior related to that consequence Skipping breakfast acts as an establishing operation a type of MO by increasing the reinforcing value of food snacks due to deprivation This increased value evokes the behavior of buying snacks When Sam eats breakfast satiation the value of snacks decreases and the behavior is not evoked
#65. What is the MOST important reason for taking accurate session notes?
Accurate session notes provide a detailed account of the session including behaviors observed interventions implemented and client progress This information is crucial for effective treatment and communication among team members
#66. You show up to a client’s house to do a session, but the client’s parents are not there and their older brother who is 15 years old is the only one present. What should you do?
It is generally unethical to run a session with a client when their parents are not there It is very important to call your supervisor in this case because they will guide you based on the specifics of the situation Following instructions to the best of your abilities is what makes you a good technician
#67. Eliza prefers to walk to the coffee shop two blocks away from her apartment because there is a table by a big window that brings Eliza peace while she studies or completes other work she must do. What is likely reinforcing Eliza’s behavior of going to the coffee shop?
Reinforcement is the consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur in the future The consequence of Eliza going to the coffee shop is being able to sit by the big window which brings her peace and makes her want to go back to the coffee shop
#68. What is shaping?
Shaping is a differential reinforcement procedure in which successive approximations of a target behavior are reinforced and all other behaviors are put on extinction
#69. Which of the following principles of behavior change is *not* an inherent component of a Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) procedure?
A Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior DRA procedure inherently involves two principles 1 Reinforcement for a specific alternative behavior that serves the same function as the target behavior and 2 Extinction for the target problem behavior reinforcement is withheld Punishment is not a necessary component of DRA although it can sometimes be used in conjunction with it as part of a larger behavior change package
#70. Ken leaves his phone’s ringer on a loud setting. The sound makes him anxious, so he quickly silences the phone when it rings. Each time he silences the distressing noise, he feels more at ease, making him more likely to silence the phone in the future. Which principle best explains Ken’s increased tendency to silence his phone?
Kens behavior of silencing the phone increases because it removes an aversive stimulus the loud ringing resulting in feeling more at ease This is the definition of negative reinforcement With negative reinforcement something is removed or avoided leading to an increase in the likelihood of the behavior in the future Positive reinforcement would involve adding something desirable to increase a behavior Punishment would decrease the behavior The loud ring is being taken away
#71. What is the most accurate data collection system?
Continuous recording is the most accurate way to record data Continuous recording means that the data collector records every single instance of the behavior that is occurring All other methods are forms of time sampling which are less accurate
#72. What is interobserver agreement (IOA)?
Interobserver agreement IOA is a measure of the reliability of data High IOA suggests that data are trustworthy and reliable
#73. What is the primary goal of a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)?
An FBA seeks to determine why a behavior is occurring which informs the development of effective intervention strategies
#74. An RBT is assisting in a preference assessment where items are presented one at a time and the client’s reaction is noted. This type of assessment is called a:
In a singlestimulus assessment items are presented individually to gauge the clients interest
#75. Before starting services, the BCBA conducts observations in the client’s natural environment and records data on the antecedents and consequences of behaviors. This is an example of which functional assessment method?
Descriptive assessments involve direct observation of behavior in the natural environment without manipulation recording antecedents and consequences as they occur
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