BCABA Practice Questions
Prepare for BCABA with more than an answer.
- Exam fee
- $275 USD
- Level
- Assistant
- Valid for
- 2 years
Domains covered on the exam 9
- Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations7%
- Concepts and Principles12%
- Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation13%
- Experimental Design7%
- Ethical and Professional Issues12%
- Behavior Assessment11%
- Behavior-Change Procedures15%
- Intervention Development and Monitoring13%
- Supervisory Relationships10%
- 1
A BCaBA is working in a school setting to address a student's elopement from the classroom. After conducting a functional behavior assessment, it is determined the behavior is maintained by escape from difficult academic tasks. The supervising BCBA has recommended an intervention package. Which of the following components should be included to address the function of the behavior directly?
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Correct answer: C
A function-based intervention must provide access to the same reinforcer that maintains the problem behavior. Since the elopement is maintained by escape, the intervention must teach an appropriate replacement behavior that also results in escape (a break). This is a form of Functional Communication Training (FCT). The token economy provides access to tangibles, not escape. The response cost is a punishment procedure and does not teach a replacement skill that serves the same function.
- 2
True or False: In a changing criterion design, experimental control is demonstrated when the participant's behavior changes to meet each new criterion level set by the experimenter.
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Correct answer: A
This statement is true. The core logic of a changing criterion design relies on the correspondence between the criterion and the behavior. Each time the criterion is changed and the behavior systematically and repeatedly changes to match it, a functional relation between the intervention (the criterion) and the behavior is demonstrated. This step-by-step change serves as a form of intra-subject replication, demonstrating experimental control.
- 3
Case Study
A BCaBA is hired to consult for a small tech startup experiencing low employee morale and missed deadlines. The initial assessment, consisting of interviews and surveys, suggests that employees feel their hard work is unrecognized and that project requirements are often unclear. The BCaBA's supervisor, a BCBA, recommends an Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) approach.
The BCaBA conducts a descriptive assessment and observes that on days when managers provide specific, positive feedback on tasks, employee productivity (measured by tasks completed) is higher. However, this feedback is delivered inconsistently. Furthermore, project descriptions are often vague, leading to rework. The BCaBA proposes an intervention package to the startup's leadership.
Which of the following intervention packages BEST represents a comprehensive, evidence-based approach derived from the assessment findings?
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Correct answer: C
This option directly addresses the problems identified in the assessment. The vague requirements are an antecedent problem, which is addressed by checklists and clarification. The lack of recognition is a consequence problem, addressed by training managers in performance-specific feedback and contingent reinforcement. This package is comprehensive, based on the assessment data, and uses established OBM principles (antecedent and consequence strategies). The other options are either not directly tied to performance (social events), may not be effective (Employee of the Month is too delayed), or are incomplete.
- 4
A BCaBA is teaching a client to make a sandwich using a backward chaining procedure. The task analysis has 10 steps. During the current teaching phase, the client is being taught step 8 ('Put the top slice of bread on'). The BCaBA prompts the client through steps 1-7. When is reinforcement delivered?
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Correct answer: B
In backward chaining, the trainer completes all initial steps, and the learner is taught the final steps of the chain first. As the learner masters steps, the trainer teaches the preceding steps. Reinforcement is always delivered upon completion of the entire chain. In this phase, the client has already mastered steps 9 and 10. Therefore, after being taught step 8, the client must also complete the previously mastered steps (9 and 10) to complete the chain and receive reinforcement.
- 5
A BCaBA has been assigned to a case where the previous analyst left abruptly. The client's data are presented in the graph below. Based on a visual analysis of this data, what is the most appropriate next step for the BCaBA to take?
graph TD subgraph A [Baseline] d1(Day 1: 10) --> d2(Day 2: 12) --> d3(Day 3: 11) --> d4(Day 4: 13) --> d5(Day 5: 12) end subgraph B [Intervention] d6(Day 6: 15) --> d7(Day 7: 18) --> d8(Day 8: 4) --> d9(Day 9: 17) --> d10(Day 10: 6) end A --> BShow answer details
Correct answer: C
The data show a stable baseline followed by an intervention phase with extremely high variability. The responding is erratic (15, 18, 4, 17, 6), making it impossible to determine the intervention's effect. Such high variability often suggests inconsistent implementation of the procedure (procedural drift) or the influence of uncontrolled confounding variables. The first logical step is to assess treatment integrity to see if the plan is being implemented as intended before making any decisions about its effectiveness.
- 6
When presenting extinction as a possible treatment option to a client and his or her family, it is MOST important for a behavior analyst to A.assure them that extinction is supported in the literature as an effective procedure.B.present it along with other interventions, including reinforcement based alternatives.C.discuss the risks and benefits of using extinction and assure them that it is the best option.D.explain his or her experience using extinction with similar cases.
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Correct answer: B
- 7
A behavior analyst is asked to provide direct services requiring daily 1:1 interaction with a teen-aged client. The client does not speak but can communicate fluently using sign language. The behavior analyst knows some sign language but is not fluent. The BEST approach to this situation would be to A.explain his level of competence in sign language to the family before beginning service.B.hire a sign language interpreter to attend the sessions.C.attend a workshop in sign language prior to beginning service.D.refer the family to a behavior analyst fluent in sign language.
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Correct answer: D
- 8
Fara has identified two procedures that have an equal probability of being effective. In order to select the better procedure, she should
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Correct answer: A
- 9
Which of the following would BEST contribute to a behavior analyst's professional development? A.attending a workshop that provides videotaped examples and practice activities for innovative interventionsB.reading articles from a peer-reviewed applied behavior analysis journal that describe techniques that are applicable to her client populationC.becoming a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, which is a rich resource for behavior analystsD.contributing an article to the newsletter of the local Association for Behavior Analysis chapter
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Correct answer: B
- 10
Before recruitment of participants for a research study begins, a behavior analyst needs to: A.obtain consent from participant(s) or legal guardian(s) if necessary.B.obtain institutional review board approval or equivalent (e.g., an ethics committee).C.inform participants of their ability to withdraw from the study.D.inform participants about ethical requirements and experimental procedures.
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Correct answer: B
