BCBA Practice Questions
Prepare for BCBA with more than an answer.
- Exam fee
- $125 USD
- Level
- Graduate
- Valid for
- 2 years (recertification cycle)
Domains covered on the exam 9
- A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations5%
- B. Concepts and Principles14%
- C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation12%
- D. Experimental Design7%
- E. Ethical and Professional Issues13%
- F. Behavior Assessment13%
- G. Behavior-Change Procedures14%
- H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions11%
- I. Personnel Supervision and Management11%
- 1
True or False: When calculating interobserver agreement (IOA) for data collected using momentary time sampling, the most stringent method is to use interval-by-interval IOA, where an agreement is scored only if both observers recorded the same occurrence or non-occurrence in each interval.
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Correct answer: A
This statement is true. Interval-by-interval IOA (also called total agreement or point-by-point agreement) is the standard and most direct way to calculate agreement for interval-based data, including momentary time sampling. It provides a stringent, interval-by-interval comparison of observers' records, calculated by (agreements / (agreements + disagreements)) * 100.
- 2
Case Study
A mid-sized software company, 'Innovate Inc.', hires a BCBA to address issues with project deadlines being consistently missed. The BCBA's initial assessment involves interviews and direct observation, revealing that developers often work on tasks not aligned with project priorities and that communication between project managers and developers is infrequent and lacks clarity. Project managers provide feedback only when a deadline is missed, and there are no clear consequences for early or on-time completion.
The company has a flat organizational structure, and project managers have limited authority to provide monetary bonuses. The development teams are highly skilled but report feeling 'disconnected' from the project goals. The BCBA needs to propose an intervention package to increase on-time project completion.
Which intervention package is most appropriate given the assessment findings and organizational constraints?
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Correct answer: C
This package directly addresses the identified deficits: lack of task clarity, poor communication, and infrequent positive reinforcement. Task clarification (checklists) aligns developer behavior with priorities. Daily meetings improve communication. Public recognition provides a potent, non-monetary reinforcer that fits within the company's constraints and addresses the feeling of being 'disconnected.' This is a comprehensive, antecedent- and consequence-based solution derived from the assessment.
- 3
A BCBA is teaching a child to use a fork. The BCBA physically guides the child's hand to scoop food and bring it to their mouth. Over successive trials, the BCBA fades the prompt from hand-over-hand, to a light touch at the wrist, then to a touch at the elbow, and finally to a gestural prompt. This entire process is an example of:
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Correct answer: C
This procedure is an example of a most-to-least prompt fading hierarchy. The intervention begins with the most intrusive prompt (full physical guidance) to ensure the correct response occurs. As the learner shows success, the intrusiveness of the physical prompt is systematically reduced (faded) until a less intrusive prompt (gestural) is used, with the ultimate goal of the response occurring independently.
- 4
A BCBA is supervising a trainee who is accruing fieldwork hours. The trainee has accrued 100 total hours in a calendar month. According to BACB standards for Supervised Fieldwork, what is the minimum number of supervisor contacts and the minimum number of supervised hours required for that month?
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Correct answer: B
The BACB standards for Supervised Fieldwork require that 5% of the total fieldwork hours for the supervisory period (one calendar month) be supervised. For 100 hours, this is 5 hours (100 * 0.05). The standards also require a minimum of 4 supervisor-trainee contacts per month for this type of fieldwork.
- 5
A behavior analyst is reviewing the following graphed data from a reversal design intended to decrease stereotypy. What is the most significant threat to internal validity evident in this graph?
flowchart TD subgraph Legend direction LR A[Baseline] B[Intervention] end subgraph Phase_1 direction LR A1(A: High/Stable) end subgraph Phase_2 direction LR B1(B: Low/Decreasing) end subgraph Phase_3 direction LR A2(A: Low/Stable) end Phase_1 --> Phase_2 --> Phase_3Show answer details
Correct answer: D
The strength of a reversal (A-B-A) design lies in its ability to demonstrate that the behavior reverts to baseline levels when the intervention is withdrawn. The diagram shows that in the second baseline phase (A2), the behavior remained low and stable, failing to return to the initial baseline levels (A1). This failure of the behavior to reverse is a major threat to internal validity, as it suggests another variable (e.g., the skill was learned, a history effect) may be responsible for the continued low level of behavior, not the presence or absence of the intervention.
- 6
Case Study
A mid-sized software company, 'Innovate Inc.', hires a BCBA to address issues with project deadlines being consistently missed. The BCBA's initial assessment involves interviews and direct observation, revealing that developers often work on tasks not aligned with project priorities and that communication between project managers and developers is infrequent and lacks clarity. Project managers provide feedback only when a deadline is missed, and there are no clear consequences for early or on-time completion.
The company has a flat organizational structure, and project managers have limited authority to provide monetary bonuses. The development teams are highly skilled but report feeling 'disconnected' from the project goals. The BCBA needs to propose an intervention package to increase on-time project completion.
Which intervention package is most appropriate given the assessment findings and organizational constraints?
Show answer details
Correct answer: C
This package directly addresses the identified deficits: lack of task clarity, poor communication, and infrequent positive reinforcement. Task clarification (checklists) aligns developer behavior with priorities. Daily meetings improve communication. Public recognition provides a potent, non-monetary reinforcer that fits within the company's constraints and addresses the feeling of being 'disconnected.' This is a comprehensive, antecedent- and consequence-based solution derived from the assessment.
- 7
A BCBA is supervising a trainee who is accruing fieldwork hours. The trainee has accrued 100 total hours in a calendar month. According to BACB standards for Supervised Fieldwork, what is the minimum number of supervisor contacts and the minimum number of supervised hours required for that month?
Show answer details
Correct answer: B
The BACB standards for Supervised Fieldwork require that 5% of the total fieldwork hours for the supervisory period (one calendar month) be supervised. For 100 hours, this is 5 hours (100 * 0.05). The standards also require a minimum of 4 supervisor-trainee contacts per month for this type of fieldwork.
- 8
Case Study
'GreenLeaf Assisted Living' provides services for elderly residents, some with mild cognitive impairment. The facility director contacts a BCBA to address a high rate of resident falls during nighttime hours (10 PM - 6 AM). Staff report that residents often get out of bed unassisted to use the restroom. The facility uses bed alarms, but staff are often busy with other tasks and respond slowly. The director is concerned about client safety and potential liability.
The BCBA conducts a descriptive assessment and finds that falls are most common between 2 AM and 4 AM and are almost always associated with attempts to walk to the bathroom. The staff consists of two certified nursing assistants (CNAs) for 30 residents at night, and their primary reinforcement is avoiding reprimands from the nursing supervisor.
Which intervention plan best incorporates behavior-analytic principles while considering the context of the environment and population?
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Correct answer: B
This plan is function-based and antecedent-focused. The time-based schedule (an antecedent intervention similar to noncontingent reinforcement) addresses the establishing operation (needing to use the restroom) before the problem behavior (unassisted walking) occurs. It is proactive rather than reactive. The positive reinforcement component for staff shifts the contingencies from negative reinforcement (avoiding reprimands) to positive reinforcement, which is more effective and ethical for performance management.
- 9
Case Study
A BCBA is hired to develop a social skills program for a community center that serves adolescents from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. The center's director wants a 'one-size-fits-all' curriculum that can be implemented quickly and efficiently by the center's staff, who have minimal training in behavior analysis.
An initial indirect assessment, including interviews with teens and their families, reveals a wide range of social goals. Some families prioritize skills related to assertiveness and independent problem-solving, while others emphasize skills related to group harmony, respect for elders, and seeking guidance from authority figures. A direct observation assessment confirms that the specific social deficits vary significantly among the adolescents.
The BCBA knows that the director's request for a standardized curriculum conflicts with the assessment data and the principle of culturally responsive practice. The center has limited funding, and extensive staff training is not feasible in the short term.
Which of the following plans best balances ethical obligations, client preferences, scientific evidence, and contextual constraints?
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Correct answer: C
This option represents the best synthesis of the competing demands. It respects the contextual constraint of limited staff training by focusing on a core set of skills. It honors client preferences and cultural variables by creating optional modules that align with the diverse goals identified. This modular approach is evidence-based and allows for a degree of individualization without requiring a fully unique plan for each adolescent, making it feasible within the center's resource constraints. It directly uses assessment data to inform intervention design, which is a hallmark of effective practice.
- 10
A BCBA is supervising a trainee who is accruing fieldwork hours in a concentrated supervised fieldwork arrangement. The trainee works 100 hours in a calendar month. According to BACB standards, what is the minimum number of supervisor contacts and the minimum number of supervised hours required for that month?
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Correct answer: D
For concentrated supervised fieldwork, the BACB requires a minimum of 6 supervisor contacts per supervisory period (calendar month) and supervision for 10% of the total fieldwork hours. In this case, with 100 total hours, the required supervision is 10% of 100, which is 10 hours. Therefore, the trainee needs a minimum of 6 contacts and 10 supervised hours.
