RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) — All Questions

An RBT runs a five-minute DRO with Jonah at home, exactly as the plan directs. Midway through an interval Jonah screams and his grandmother immediately hands him a cookie. What should the RBT do?

• a.Ask the grandmother not to give food during sessions so the DRO can work.
• b.End the DRO for the rest of the home session and collect data only.
• c.Deliver the reinforcer at the end of the interval since Jonah already ate.
• d.Restart the interval, continue the DRO, and report the event to the BCBA.✓

(d) is correct: the RBT keeps implementing the procedure with fidelity and documents and reports an event that clearly affects the data and the plan's effectiveness, which the supervisor needs in order to arrange caregiver training. (a) puts the RBT in the role of training a caregiver on the behavior plan, which is the supervisor's responsibility rather than the RBT's. (b) abandons the procedure for the remainder of the session, so the client loses treatment over one interfering event. (c) delivers the DRO reinforcer for an interval in which the target behavior occurred, which breaks the contingency.

Kofi repeatedly puts his hands in his mouth during circle time, and his BCBA has written a DRI into the plan. Which target response fits a DRI BEST for this behavior?

• a.Sitting for three minutes without hands going to the mouth at all.
• b.Holding a fidget toy with both hands throughout the circle activity.✓
• c.Raising a hand to ask for a break when circle time feels too long.
• d.Making fewer than three hand-to-mouth responses during circle time.

(b) is correct: holding a toy with both hands physically prevents hands from reaching the mouth, which is what makes a response incompatible and therefore suitable for DRI. (a) reinforces the absence of the behavior for an interval, which is DRO rather than DRI. (c) reinforces a communicative alternative, which is DRA or functional communication training — useful, but not incompatible with hand mouthing. (d) reinforces a reduced rate of the target, which is DRL.

Ana's plan prescribes a DRA in which the RBT reinforces her saying 'my turn' and does not reinforce grabbing. A substitute teacher tells the RBT that Ana 'should just be told to share.' What should the RBT do?

• a.Follow the substitute teacher's direction while working in her classroom.
• b.Explain the DRA to the substitute and let her decide how to respond to Ana.
• c.Pause the DRA and call the supervising BCBA to settle the disagreement.
• d.Keep running the DRA as written and reinforce each 'my turn' Ana produces.✓

(d) is correct: the plan covers this behavior, and continuing the DRA with fidelity is what makes the replacement response strong enough to replace grabbing. (a) subordinates a written behavior plan to an untrained adult's instruction, which breaks treatment integrity. (b) also transfers implementation decisions to someone not trained on the plan, and the RBT remains responsible for running the procedure. (c) is unnecessary escalation: a disagreement with a substitute is not a safety issue or an uncovered situation, and it can be raised with the supervisor after the session while the plan continues.

Three sessions into planned ignoring for Mia's attention-maintained yelling, her yelling has become louder and more frequent than it was before the procedure started. The plan describes this possibility and directs the RBT to continue. What should the RBT do?

• a.Return to responding briefly to the yelling, since the plan is not working.
• b.Continue withholding attention, as the plan anticipates this brief increase.✓
• c.Suspend the procedure and contact the supervising BCBA about the increase.
• d.Add a verbal reminder about quiet voices each time the yelling gets loud.

(b) is correct: an increase in rate and intensity early in extinction is an extinction burst, the plan names it as expected, and continuing is what allows the behavior to decrease. (a) delivers attention at the worst possible moment — after a more intense response — teaching Mia that escalation works. (c) is unnecessary escalation because the plan explicitly covers this pattern; suspending the procedure now would reinforce the burst. (d) is also attention delivery in the form of a verbal prompt, which reinstates the very consequence the procedure withholds.

Which pattern BEST describes an extinction burst?

• a.A temporary increase in the rate and intensity of a behavior on extinction.✓
• b.A permanent increase in the behavior caused by an incorrect reinforcement schedule.
• c.A return of the behavior after a period in which it had stopped occurring.
• d.The reappearance of an earlier response after a newer one stops working.

(a) is correct: when a previously reinforced behavior stops producing its reinforcer, rate, intensity, and duration typically rise before they fall, and this increase is temporary. (b) is wrong because the burst is transient; a lasting increase indicates the reinforcer is still being delivered rather than an extinction effect. (c) describes spontaneous recovery, which happens after the behavior has already decreased and following a period without it. (d) describes resurgence, in which an older reinforced response returns once a newer response is no longer reinforced.

Owen's plan states that when he screams during a demand, the RBT continues to present the demand and provides guidance to completion if needed. Which type of extinction procedure is this?

• a.Attention extinction, because the RBT does not talk about the screaming.
• b.Sensory extinction, because screaming no longer produces its usual feedback.
• c.Escape extinction, because screaming no longer removes the task demand.✓
• d.Tangible extinction, because no preferred item follows the screaming.

(c) is correct: the maintaining consequence for Owen's screaming is escape from the demand, and the procedure ensures the demand stays in place, so the reinforcer is withheld. (a) names the wrong reinforcer; the plan is not built around whether attention is delivered, it is built around the demand remaining. (b) would involve masking or blocking the sensory product of the response, which nothing here does. (d) is wrong because no tangible item was maintaining the screaming in the first place; extinction must match the function to work.

Toby's throwing is maintained by access to the toys he throws, which staff routinely retrieve and hand back to him. Which extinction procedure matches this function?

• a.Withhold all adult attention for 30 seconds after each throwing response.
• b.Continue the demand that was in place when the throwing response occurred.
• c.Leave the thrown toy out of reach so that throwing no longer regains it.✓
• d.Place a preferred item in view but make no comment about the throwing.

(c) is correct: extinction means withholding the consequence that maintains the behavior, and here that consequence is regaining the toy — so the toy is not returned. (a) withholds attention, which was never the maintaining reinforcer, so throwing would continue to produce the item and keep working. (b) is escape extinction, appropriate for demand-maintained behavior but mismatched to this function. (d) withholds only commentary while leaving the tangible contingency untouched, so the reinforcer is still available.

Sasha's plan specifies planned ignoring for whining. Ten minutes into the procedure the whining stops and Sasha begins working. Two minutes later the whining returns, at a lower rate than before. What should the RBT do?

• a.Continue withholding attention for whining and reinforce the work instead.✓
• b.Praise Sasha for the two quiet minutes as soon as the whining restarts.
• c.Report to the supervising BCBA that the procedure has stopped working.
• d.Give one brief reminder to use words, then resume the planned ignoring.

(a) is correct: a lower-rate return is an ordinary part of an extinction course, and the plan's contingency still applies — attention goes to appropriate work, not to whining. (b) times praise so that it immediately follows whining, which pairs attention with the behavior being extinguished no matter what the praise is for. (c) is unnecessary escalation and misreads the data; a decreasing pattern with brief returns is consistent with the procedure working, not failing. (d) delivers a verbal response contingent on whining, which is attention and undoes the procedure.

During escape extinction for Marco's work refusal, he begins swinging his arms and has struck the RBT twice. Marco's plan addresses refusal but says nothing about aggression, and the site's crisis procedure applies whenever staff or client safety is at risk. What should the RBT do?

• a.Continue presenting the demand until Marco stops swinging his arms.
• b.Follow the trained crisis procedure, ensure safety, and notify the supervisor.✓
• c.Remove the demand and end the session so Marco can calm down alone.
• d.Block the swings and hold the task in place until another adult arrives.

(b) is correct: injury risk has appeared and the behavior plan does not cover aggression, which is exactly the situation crisis procedures and supervisor notification exist for — safety comes before procedural continuation. (a) keeps a demand in place while people are being struck, prioritizing a procedure over safety. (c) both leaves an escalated client unsupervised and delivers escape from the demand, likely strengthening the aggression. (d) continues the demand during an unsafe episode and treats waiting for help as a plan, when a trained crisis response should already be underway.

An RBT asks why a plan pairs extinction with a differential reinforcement procedure instead of using extinction alone. Which reason is BEST?

• a.Extinction alone is not permitted for behavior maintained by attention.
• b.Extinction alone works only when a punishment component is also in place.
• c.Extinction alone eliminates the behavior more slowly than a punisher would.
• d.Extinction alone leaves the learner no reinforced way to meet the same need.✓

(d) is correct: extinction removes what the behavior produced but teaches nothing, so pairing it with DRA or DRO gives the learner an effective replacement and generally produces faster, more durable, and less aversive change. (a) invents a prohibition that does not exist; extinction is used across functions when the plan calls for it. (b) is wrong because extinction does not require a punishment component to be effective. (c) may sometimes be true of speed, but comparative speed is not the reason plans pair the two procedures — building a replacement skill is.

An RBT is running planned ignoring for Ivy's call-outs. Occasionally, when a call-out is especially loud, the RBT answers her 'just this once.' What is the MOST likely effect of this pattern?

• a.The call-outs will decrease because attention now comes only rarely.
• b.The loud call-outs will become more persistent and harder to extinguish.✓
• c.The procedure will still work because most call-outs are being ignored.
• d.The call-outs will change function and become maintained by escape.

(b) is correct: responding only to the loudest instances places those responses on an intermittent schedule, which builds persistence, and it differentially reinforces higher intensity. (a) confuses thinning a reinforcement schedule with extinction; intermittent reinforcement maintains behavior rather than eliminating it. (c) is the most common misconception — extinction requires that the reinforcer be withheld consistently, and occasional delivery undoes the procedure. (d) is wrong because the consequence being delivered is still attention, so the function has not changed.

Nine days after Priya's tantrums stopped under extinction, a full tantrum occurs during an ordinary session with no obvious change in the environment. Her plan directs the RBT to continue the extinction procedure. What is this pattern called, and what should the RBT do?

• a.An extinction burst; the RBT should reduce the demand to lower intensity.
• b.Resurgence; the RBT should reteach the replacement response first.
• c.Spontaneous recovery; the RBT should continue the procedure as written.✓
• d.A new function emerging; the RBT should switch to recording ABC data.

(c) is correct: the reappearance of an extinguished behavior after a period of non-occurrence, without an environmental change, is spontaneous recovery, and continuing extinction is what makes it fade again. (a) is wrong because a burst occurs early in the procedure rather than after nine behavior-free days. (b) describes the return of an older response when a newer one stops being reinforced, which is not what happened here. (d) reads a single episode as a change in function and swaps implementation for data collection, when the plan already covers what to do.

Which statement about extinction is accurate?

• a.Extinction means telling the learner the behavior will no longer work.
• b.Extinction means removing a preferred item right after the behavior.
• c.Extinction means ignoring the learner regardless of the behavior's function.
• d.Extinction means withholding the reinforcer that has maintained the behavior.✓

(d) is correct: extinction is defined by discontinuing the reinforcing consequence that has maintained the response, which is why the procedure must be matched to the function. (a) describes a verbal rule statement, which is not the procedure and would deliver attention in the process. (b) describes response cost, a negative punishment procedure that takes something away rather than withholding what the behavior produced. (c) is the most common error — planned ignoring is extinction only when the maintaining reinforcer is attention; for escape-maintained behavior, ignoring can actually deliver the reinforcer.

Jasper's plan uses escape extinction for task refusal. His father, watching the session from the couch, says, 'Just let him stop, he's had a hard day.' What should the RBT do?

• a.Continue the procedure as written and address the concern after the session.✓
• b.End the task as the father asked, then re-present it later in the session.
• c.Stop and call the supervising BCBA to confirm the plan still applies today.
• d.Ask the father to leave the room so the procedure can be run correctly.

(a) is correct: the plan covers task refusal, and the RBT implements it with fidelity while treating the father's concern as feedback to be raised with him respectfully and passed to the supervisor afterward. (b) delivers escape from the demand, which is the reinforcer maintaining refusal, and it teaches that protest works when a parent is watching. (c) is unnecessary escalation over a situation the plan already addresses; a caregiver comment is neither a safety risk nor a gap in the plan. (d) treats a caregiver as an obstacle in his own home and damages the working relationship without any clinical justification.

Nolan's plan specifies a two-minute exclusionary time-out from the play area contingent on hitting, followed by return to the activity. Nolan hits a peer. A classroom aide says time-out is too harsh and suggests talking with him instead. What should the RBT do?

• a.Talk with Nolan about hitting, then let him rejoin the play activity.
• b.Extend the time-out to five minutes so the consequence is more effective.
• c.Pause and consult the supervising BCBA before using the time-out today.
• d.Implement the two-minute time-out exactly as the written plan specifies.✓

(d) is correct: the plan defines the behavior, the procedure, and the duration, and implementing it consistently is what makes it effective and safe. (a) substitutes a conversation for the written consequence and delivers adult attention immediately after hitting. (b) lengthens a restrictive procedure beyond what was clinically authorized, which the RBT has no scope to do. (c) is unnecessary escalation over a procedure the plan states explicitly; the aide's discomfort can be relayed to the supervisor afterward, but the plan runs in the meantime.

After each instance of spitting, the RBT hands Ivan a cloth and he wipes the table for 30 seconds. Since this began, Ivan's spitting has decreased steadily. How is this consequence classified?

• a.Positive punishment, because a stimulus is added and behavior decreases.✓
• b.Negative punishment, because table time is removed after the behavior.
• c.Positive reinforcement, because attention follows each spitting response.
• d.Negative reinforcement, because wiping ends the demand that was present.

(a) is correct: something is presented after the response — the cleaning task — and the future frequency of spitting has decreased, which makes it positive punishment. (b) is wrong because nothing is being taken away; a task is added rather than a reinforcer removed. (c) is wrong on the effect: attention is present, but the behavior decreased, and reinforcement is defined by an increase. (d) is wrong because no demand is being terminated; a new demand is being added.

Leo's plan removes one earned token each time he throws materials, and his throwing has decreased over three weeks. Which procedure and classification apply?

• a.Time-out from reinforcement, which is a positive punishment procedure.
• b.Response cost, a negative punishment procedure that removes a reinforcer.✓
• c.Extinction, because the throwing no longer produces its usual outcome.
• d.Differential reinforcement, because tokens still follow appropriate work.

(b) is correct: a specific amount of an already-earned reinforcer is withdrawn contingent on the behavior and the behavior decreases, which defines response cost as a negative punishment procedure. (a) names a related procedure but misclassifies it; time-out removes access to reinforcement for a period, and both time-out and response cost are negative rather than positive punishment. (c) is wrong because extinction withholds the maintaining reinforcer rather than taking away something already earned. (d) describes a component that may also be present, but the token removal specifically is what has reduced the throwing.

An RBT delivers a firm reprimand each time Dario hits and records it as 'the punisher' in her notes. Over three weeks, Dario's hitting has increased. How should this consequence be classified?

• a.A punishment procedure that needs a longer period to take full effect.
• b.A punishment procedure that is being delivered too long after the behavior.
• c.A reinforcement effect, because the behavior increased after the consequence.✓
• d.An extinction procedure, because the hitting no longer produces any escape.

(c) is correct: punishment and reinforcement are defined by their effect on future behavior, not by how the consequence feels — a reprimand that is followed by more hitting is functioning as a reinforcer, most likely through attention. (a) keeps the punishment label despite data showing the opposite effect, which is the exact error the definition is meant to prevent. (b) points to a real fidelity issue in some cases, but the reprimands here are immediate and the behavior still rose. (d) is wrong because nothing is being withheld; a consequence is being added after every occurrence.

During Ellie's three-minute non-exclusionary time-out, she asks the RBT questions and tells jokes. The plan states that no attention is delivered during time-out. What should the RBT do?

• a.Withhold responses to the questions and jokes until the time-out ends.✓
• b.Answer her briefly so that she does not feel isolated during time-out.
• c.Restart the three-minute timer each time Ellie speaks during time-out.
• d.End the time-out early, since Ellie is calm and talking pleasantly now.

(a) is correct: a time-out is a period without access to reinforcement, and adult attention is generally the reinforcer being withheld, so responding would defeat the procedure. (b) delivers exactly what the procedure removes, and the kind intention does not change the behavioral effect. (c) adds a resetting contingency the plan does not include, extending a restrictive procedure without authorization. (d) ends the procedure early based on the RBT's judgment rather than the written release criterion, and it times release immediately after talking.

Ben's plan calls for a four-minute time-out with release contingent on ten seconds of calm behavior at the end. At the four-minute mark Ben is still screaming. What should the RBT do?

• a.Release Ben at four minutes as scheduled, then re-present the demand.
• b.Extend the time-out to eight minutes because Ben has not settled down.
• c.Call the supervising BCBA to ask how long the time-out should run now.
• d.Keep the time-out in place until Ben is calm for the ten seconds specified.✓

(d) is correct: the plan includes a release criterion, and honoring it prevents the time-out from ending contingent on screaming. (a) releases him while the behavior is occurring, which can reinforce screaming with the return to the activity. (b) doubles a restrictive procedure's duration on the RBT's own judgment, which is a plan modification and is not authorized. (c) is unnecessary escalation because the plan states the release condition; the RBT waits out the criterion and can raise any concern with the supervisor later.

Rosa's plan pairs a response-cost procedure for screaming with reinforcement for using a break card. A newly trained RBT asks why both components are needed. Which explanation is BEST?

• a.The response cost teaches the break card faster than reinforcement alone.
• b.The response cost is required any time a break card is being taught.
• c.The reinforcement builds a skill Rosa can use instead of screaming.✓
• d.The reinforcement makes the response cost feel less harsh to Rosa.

(c) is correct: reduction procedures suppress behavior but teach nothing, so pairing them with reinforcement of a functional replacement is what produces durable change and protects the client's ability to get needs met. (a) is wrong because a response cost does not teach a new response at all; only the reinforcement component does. (b) invents a requirement that does not exist — break cards are routinely taught without any punishment component. (d) describes how the plan might feel rather than why it works, and clinical rationale rests on the behavioral effect.

Talia's plan includes a brief verbal reprimand contingent on grabbing. On this day her grandmother is visiting and asks the RBT to skip the reprimand so that Talia can have a nice visit. What should the RBT do?

• a.Skip the reprimand for this session and note the reason in the session note.
• b.Deliver the reprimand as written each time grabbing occurs during the visit.✓
• c.Ask the supervising BCBA for permission to suspend the procedure for today.
• d.Replace the reprimand with a gentle redirection that is less noticeable.

(b) is correct: consistency across people and days is what makes a consequence procedure work, and a visitor's presence is not a clinical reason to suspend part of a written plan. (a) drops an authorized component and treats documenting the deviation as making it acceptable. (c) is unnecessary escalation over a fully covered procedure; the request can be relayed to the supervisor afterward while the plan continues to run. (d) substitutes a different consequence on the RBT's own judgment, which is a plan modification and would produce inconsistent implementation.

Which statement correctly distinguishes punishment from extinction?

• a.Punishment removes the maintaining reinforcer and extinction adds a stimulus.
• b.Punishment applies to escape behavior and extinction to attention behavior.
• c.Punishment adds or removes a stimulus; extinction withholds the reinforcer.✓
• d.Punishment decreases behavior over time and extinction increases it lasting.

(c) is correct: punishment presents or removes a stimulus after the response and reduces its future frequency, while extinction simply stops delivering the consequence that had been maintaining the response. (a) reverses the two definitions. (b) invents a function-based split that does not exist; either procedure can apply across functions when clinically indicated. (d) is wrong because extinction reduces behavior over time, with only a temporary increase during the burst phase.

Two days into extinction for Amira's screaming, she begins pounding the table and stomping her feet — behaviors the RBT has not seen from her before. Her plan lists response variation as an expected effect and directs the RBT to continue the procedure. What should the RBT do?

• a.Reinforce the stomping, because it is much quieter than the screaming was.
• b.Continue the extinction procedure and record the new response forms.✓
• c.Stop and ask the supervising BCBA to add stomping to the plan today.
• d.Redirect Amira to her break card each time the table pounding occurs.

(b) is correct: new response forms during extinction are response variation, a documented secondary effect, and the plan tells the RBT to continue while documenting what is observed. (a) would reinforce a novel problem behavior simply because it is less disruptive, building a new response into the repertoire. (c) is unnecessary escalation over an effect the plan explicitly anticipates; the observation belongs in the session data and the routine report, not in a mid-session stop. (d) prompts a communication response contingent on the new behavior, which can reinforce pounding with attention and prompting.

After Nate learned to hand over a picture card for snacks, his old grabbing behavior stopped entirely. This week the picture cards went unreinforced by mistake for two sessions, and grabbing returned. Which secondary effect does this illustrate?

• a.Resurgence of a previously reinforced response when the newer one fails.✓
• b.Spontaneous recovery of grabbing after a long period of extinction.
• c.An extinction burst in the rate and intensity of picture-card exchanges.
• d.Emotional responding produced by removing a preferred snack from view.

(a) is correct: resurgence is the return of an earlier reinforced response when a more recently reinforced response stops producing reinforcement, which is exactly the sequence described. (b) is wrong because spontaneous recovery happens after a period without the behavior and without any change in the contingencies, whereas here a clear change occurred. (c) names a real possibility for the card exchanges themselves, but the question asks about the return of grabbing. (d) describes emotional side effects, which are not what the return of an older operant response is called.

During the first week of planned ignoring for Riya's attention-maintained crying, she cries harder, throws herself on the floor, and appears angry and frustrated. Her plan lists these reactions as expected. Which term BEST describes this?

• a.Resurgence, because an older reinforced response has returned under extinction.
• b.Response variation, because the topography of the behavior has changed form.
• c.Spontaneous recovery, because the behavior has returned after a pause.
• d.Emotional responding, a common secondary effect of extinction procedures.✓

(d) is correct: distress, agitation, and apparent frustration early in extinction are emotional responding, one of the named secondary effects of the procedure. (a) is wrong because no previously reinforced older response has come back; the same crying is intensifying. (b) captures part of the picture — dropping to the floor is a new form — but the defining feature described is the emotional quality, and the plan names it as such. (c) is wrong because spontaneous recovery follows a period of non-occurrence, and this is the first week with the behavior still ongoing.

Since a time-out procedure began, Kwame has started hiding under the table when the RBT enters and crying at the sight of the work materials. His plan names escape and avoidance as possible side effects of punishment and directs the RBT to continue the procedure and document occurrences. What should the RBT do?

• a.Discontinue the time-out because it is producing avoidance of the RBT.
• b.Continue the procedure as written and document the avoidance behaviors.✓
• c.Stop the session and call the supervising BCBA about the avoidance today.
• d.Shorten the time-out duration so the side effects become less severe.

(b) is correct: escape and avoidance of the person or setting associated with punishment are recognized secondary effects, the plan anticipates them and specifies documentation, and that documentation is what lets the supervisor decide whether the procedure should change. (a) discontinues an authorized component on the RBT's own judgment, which is outside the RBT's scope. (c) is unnecessary escalation of an effect the plan already covers, and ending a session is not warranted when no safety risk is present — the observation goes into the routine report. (d) modifies the duration of a restrictive procedure, another clinical decision the RBT may not make.

Which of the following is a documented secondary effect of punishment procedures?

• a.The learner may escape from or avoid the person who delivers the procedure.✓
• b.The learner may show a lasting increase in the punished behavior itself.
• c.The learner may acquire replacement skills faster than with reinforcement.
• d.The learner may generalize the punished behavior to new settings faster.

(a) is correct: escape from and avoidance of the punishing agent, setting, or materials is one of the named secondary effects of punishment, alongside emotional responses. (b) is wrong because an increase in the behavior would mean the consequence was functioning as reinforcement rather than punishment. (c) is wrong because punishment suppresses behavior without teaching anything; replacement skills come from reinforcement-based teaching. (d) is wrong because punishment tends to suppress behavior narrowly in the conditions where it is applied rather than spreading it to new settings.

In the second session of an extinction procedure for Hana's screaming, the RBT records a sharp rise in the rate of screaming. Hana's plan directs the RBT to continue the procedure. Which conclusion is BEST supported by this observation?

• a.The reinforcer named in the plan was the wrong one for this behavior.
• b.The behavior has changed function and now serves an automatic purpose.
• c.An extinction burst is occurring, which is expected early in the procedure.✓
• d.The procedure has failed and a punishment component should be added.

(c) is correct: a sharp early increase in rate is the textbook extinction burst, and the plan's instruction to continue is what allows it to subside. (a) jumps to a functional conclusion from a single expected pattern; a burst is evidence the reinforcer is being withheld, not evidence it was misidentified. (b) invents a function change with no supporting data, and behavior does not typically shift functions within two sessions. (d) treats an expected transient effect as failure and proposes adding a restrictive component, which is a clinical decision the RBT does not make.

How does response variation differ from resurgence during extinction?

• a.Response variation is permanent, while resurgence lasts only a few sessions.
• b.Response variation follows punishment, while resurgence follows extinction.
• c.Response variation returns an old response, while resurgence produces new forms.
• d.Response variation produces new forms, while resurgence returns an old response.✓

(d) is correct: under extinction a learner often tries novel topographies, which is response variation, whereas resurgence specifically brings back a response that was reinforced earlier in the learning history. (a) is wrong because neither effect is defined by permanence; both are transient patterns. (b) is wrong because both effects are associated with extinction contingencies rather than with punishment. (c) states the two definitions in reverse.

Three sessions into extinction for Ola's attention-maintained whining, the whining has dropped sharply but she now hums loudly between trials. Her plan directs the RBT to ignore vocal behavior that does not interfere with task completion. What should the RBT do?

• a.Ignore the whining but respond to the humming so Ola still gets attention.
• b.Redirect the humming every time so it does not become a new problem.
• c.Pause the session to report the new humming to the supervising BCBA.
• d.Continue the procedure and ignore the humming, which does not block work.✓

(d) is correct: the humming is response variation during extinction and it meets the plan's stated condition for being ignored, so the RBT keeps running the procedure and notes what was observed. (a) delivers attention for a new response form, which simply moves the attention contingency onto a different behavior. (b) also delivers attention through redirection and applies a response the plan does not authorize for non-interfering vocal behavior. (c) is unnecessary escalation over an effect the plan explicitly covers; the observation belongs in the session note and routine reporting rather than in a mid-session stop.

Amir begins running toward a busy parking lot during a community outing. The RBT has been trained on the agency's crisis procedure for elopement, which specifies blocking access to the roadway and guiding the client to a safe area. What should the RBT do FIRST?

• a.Call the supervising BCBA to report the elopement before responding.
• b.Record the antecedent and consequence so the episode can be analyzed.
• c.Implement the trained elopement procedure and move Amir to safety.✓
• d.Call Amir's name repeatedly and wait for him to come back on his own.

(c) is correct: an immediate danger to the client requires the trained crisis procedure right now, and reporting and documentation follow once everyone is safe. (a) delays the safety response for a phone call, which is the wrong sequence in an emergency — notification comes after the client is safe. (b) prioritizes data collection over a client heading toward traffic. (d) leaves the outcome to chance while Amir approaches a roadway and does nothing to block access.

After safely resolving a crisis in which Bea attempted to bite staff, the RBT has returned Bea to her activity and she is now calm and working. What should the RBT do NEXT?

• a.Complete the agency's incident report and required documentation promptly.✓
• b.Resume the program and mention the episode at the next team meeting.
• c.End the session early so that Bea has the rest of the day to recover.
• d.Describe the episode in the session note as Bea being aggressive and upset.

(a) is correct: crisis episodes carry mandatory reporting and documentation requirements, and completing them promptly and objectively is part of the RBT's role once the client is safe. (b) delays reporting a safety event until a scheduled meeting, which is not timely and may violate agency requirements. (c) ends services contingent on the crisis, which can deliver escape from the session and does not meet any reporting obligation. (d) documents the event in subjective, labeling language instead of observable and measurable terms, which is not acceptable session-note practice.

During an escalation, a family member urges the RBT to hold Ava down until she stops. The RBT has not been trained in any physical restraint procedure, and Ava's plan does not include one. What should the RBT do?

• a.Use a brief hold, since the family member has given permission to do so.
• b.Use only trained procedures, keep the area safe, and get on-site help.✓
• c.Leave the room so that the behavior is not reinforced by any attention.
• d.Continue presenting the demand so that Ava does not escape the task.

(b) is correct: an RBT implements only procedures they have been trained on and that the plan or agency crisis protocol authorizes, and keeping the environment safe while summoning trained help is the appropriate response. (a) performs an untrained restrictive procedure, which risks injury to the client and is outside the RBT's scope regardless of who asks. (c) abandons an escalating client, leaving her without supervision during a safety event. (d) prioritizes a teaching contingency during an escalation, which increases risk rather than reducing it.

Micah's plan includes a written crisis protocol for aggression that the RBT has been trained on, covering a de-escalation sequence and use of a cleared safe space. Micah begins throwing chairs. What should the RBT do?

• a.Implement the trained crisis protocol, clear the area, and keep people safe.✓
• b.Call the supervising BCBA and wait for instructions before responding.
• c.Continue the lesson calmly so the throwing is not reinforced by attention.
• d.Offer Micah his preferred tablet right away so the throwing episode stops.

(a) is correct: the situation is covered by a written crisis protocol the RBT has been trained on, and implementing it immediately is what protects everyone present. (b) is escalation at the worst possible moment — chairs are being thrown, and the trained procedure exists precisely so the RBT can act without waiting; notification follows once the situation is safe. (c) treats a danger to others as an attention-maintained behavior to be ignored, leaving the risk unaddressed. (d) delivers a preferred item contingent on dangerous behavior, which is likely to strengthen it and is not part of the protocol.

During a home session, Ken has a seizure that has now lasted more than five minutes. His behavior plan contains no medical protocol and no caregiver is in the room. What should the RBT do?

• a.Record the duration of the seizure and continue the scheduled activities.
• b.Call emergency medical services, then follow agency emergency procedures.✓
• c.Move Ken onto the couch and hold him still until the seizure has ended.
• d.Wait for the caregiver to return and describe what happened to them first.

(b) is correct: a seizure lasting longer than five minutes is a medical emergency, and activating emergency medical services comes first, followed by the agency's emergency notification and documentation steps. (a) treats a medical emergency as a data-collection opportunity and delays help. (c) involves moving and restraining a person during a seizure, which risks injury; the standard is to protect the head, clear the area, and not restrain. (d) delays emergency care for an unknown period while waiting for someone else to arrive.

Zara's crisis plan directs the RBT to guide her to the beanbag area and withhold conversation until she has been calm for one minute. She begins the escalation pattern the plan describes. A new staff member suggests talking her through it instead. What should the RBT do?

• a.Talk Zara through the episode the way the new staff member suggested.
• b.Combine both approaches by guiding her while speaking calmly to her.
• c.Stop and call the supervising BCBA before starting the crisis procedure.
• d.Guide Zara to the beanbag area and withhold conversation as written.✓

(d) is correct: the plan covers this exact escalation pattern and specifies both the action and the release criterion, so the trained procedure is implemented as written. (a) substitutes an untrained approach on a colleague's suggestion during a crisis, which breaks the protocol at the moment consistency matters most. (b) is a compromise that still violates the procedure, since withholding conversation is the specific component being altered. (c) is escalation during a covered crisis, delaying a response the RBT is already trained and authorized to deliver; concerns can be raised afterward.

Which statement BEST describes the RBT's role during a behavioral crisis?

• a.The RBT designs a response that fits the situation as events develop.
• b.The RBT waits for written authorization before taking any action at all.
• c.The RBT implements the trained crisis procedure and reports it afterward.✓
• d.The RBT continues the teaching program until the crisis resolves itself.

(c) is correct: crisis procedures are trained in advance precisely so the RBT can act immediately to protect safety, with notification and documentation following the episode. (a) has the RBT improvising a restrictive response, which is outside the RBT's scope and unsafe. (b) leaves a dangerous situation unaddressed while waiting for authorization the trained protocol has already provided. (d) ignores the safety event entirely in favor of continuing instruction.

During a school-based session, classroom teacher Mr. Alvarez tells RBT Dana that Kai's break card is not working during math and suggests seating Kai at a quieter table instead. The break card is part of Kai's written plan. What should Dana do?

• a.Seat Kai at the quieter table during math and note the seating change in the session log.
• b.Continue the plan as written and report the teacher's concern and suggestion to the supervisor.✓
• c.Tell Mr. Alvarez the break card has to stay in place because the written plan requires it.
• d.Ask Mr. Alvarez to send his suggestion straight to the clinic's scheduling coordinator instead.

(b) is correct: task E.1 makes the RBT the link between the intervention team and the supervisor, so Dana keeps implementing the written plan while routing the teacher's concern and suggestion up promptly, where a BCBA can evaluate it. (a) has Dana rearranging the teaching environment on her own, which is a clinical decision she is not authorized to make. (c) is not wrong about following the plan, but it stops there and discards a team member's observation instead of passing it to someone who can act on it. (d) sends clinical information to a person with no clinical role, delaying it and bypassing the chain of command.

At the end of a home session, Priya's mother tells RBT Marcus that the tooth-brushing program feels too hard and that the family has quietly stopped running it in the evenings. Marcus is scheduled to see the supervising BCBA in two weeks. What is the BEST course of action?

• a.Coach the mother through an easier version of the tooth-brushing steps before leaving the home.
• b.Wait for the scheduled supervision meeting in two weeks and raise the family's concern there.
• c.Reassure the mother that the program works and encourage her to keep running it each evening.
• d.Document what the mother reported and notify the supervisor before the next scheduled session.✓

(d) is correct: a caregiver who has stopped running a program is information that changes how the data should be read, so E.1 requires it be documented and passed to the supervisor in a timely manner, not banked. (a) is Marcus redesigning a task analysis, which is the BCBA's job. (b) treats a live problem as routine; two weeks of unreported non-implementation can make the program look ineffective when it is simply not being run. (c) is a persuasive answer rather than a reporting one, and it leaves the supervisor unaware that the plan has stopped in the home.

The speech-language pathologist who sees Noah on Tuesdays tells RBT Elena that she gets more vocal responses when she waits five full seconds before prompting, and suggests Elena try the same delay. Noah's plan specifies a two-second prompt delay. What should Elena do?

• a.Run the two-second delay in the plan and pass the SLP's suggestion to the supervisor.✓
• b.Switch to the five-second delay, since a licensed professional recommended the change.
• c.Try both delays this session and record which one produced more vocal responses today.
• d.Tell the SLP that prompt delays are set by the BCBA and cannot be discussed further.

(a) is correct: cross-discipline suggestions are exactly the input E.1 asks the RBT to carry to the supervisor, and until the plan changes, the written two-second delay is what gets implemented. (b) hands plan authority to someone outside the behavior-analytic supervisory relationship, however well-credentialed she is. (c) makes Elena run an unauthorized comparison, which contaminates the program's data and breaks procedural fidelity. (d) protects the plan but shuts down useful team communication, and it never gets the suggestion to the person who could act on it.

Six-year-old Theo's father asks RBT Simone whether toilet training can be added to Theo's programming, since Theo has started asking to use the bathroom at home. Toilet training is not in Theo's current plan. What is the BEST response?

• a.Explain that toileting is a medical matter and should be raised with Theo's pediatrician instead.
• b.Begin collecting toileting data during sessions so the team has a baseline ready to use.
• c.Tell the father she will pass the request to the supervisor, then report it the same day.✓
• d.Start a simple toileting routine at the end of sessions and see how Theo responds to it.

(c) is correct: a caregiver request to add a goal is a team suggestion that E.1 says the RBT relays to the supervisor promptly, and telling the father what happens next respects him as a team member. (a) misroutes a behavioral goal to a physician and drops the request. (b) starts data collection on an unassigned target, which is assessment work the RBT has not been directed to do. (d) is Simone adding a program to the plan herself, the clearest scope violation of the four.

An RBT is a mandated reporter under her employer's policy. Which statement best describes her responsibility when she suspects that a client is being abused or neglected?

• a.The RBT reports the suspicion only after the supervising BCBA has confirmed that a report is warranted.
• b.The RBT makes the report required of a mandated reporter and tells the agency it was filed.✓
• c.The RBT documents the suspicion in the session note and lets the organization file any report.
• d.The RBT gathers enough evidence to establish that abuse occurred before filing any report.

(b) is correct: a mandated reporter's duty is personal, so the RBT makes the report the law requires of her and keeps her organization informed so it can support the client. (a) makes a legal duty conditional on someone else's agreement, which is the most common misconception here and can delay or prevent a required report. (c) confuses documenting with reporting; an entry in a file is not a report to anyone. (d) sets an evidentiary bar that belongs to investigators, since mandated reporting is triggered by reasonable suspicion rather than proof.

While helping five-year-old Iris change after a water-play activity, RBT Ben sees a pattern of dark bruises on her upper arms. Iris says her uncle grabbed her. Ben is a mandated reporter under his employer's policy. What should Ben do?

• a.Make the report required of a mandated reporter and inform his supervisor that he did so.✓
• b.Describe the bruises in the session note and let the supervisor decide whether to report.
• c.Ask Iris follow-up questions about her uncle so the report will contain complete details.
• d.Raise it with Iris's mother at pickup to find out whether there is an innocent explanation.

(a) is correct: a mandated reporter's duty is personal and cannot be delegated, so Ben makes the report himself and also tells his supervisor, which keeps the organization informed and supports the client. (b) hands off a duty that belongs to the person who observed the injury, and documenting alone is not reporting. (c) turns the RBT into an investigator; questioning a child about suspected abuse can compromise a later investigation. (d) may alert a family member connected to the suspected harm and delays a report that is time-sensitive.

RBT Chloe tells her supervising BCBA that she suspects a client is being neglected at home. The BCBA replies that she has known the family for years, that Chloe is overreacting, and that no report should be filed. What should Chloe do?

• a.Defer to the supervisor's judgment, since the supervisor has known this family for many years.
• b.Document the supervisor's instruction in the session note and take no further action today.
• c.Wait and watch for another incident before deciding whether the concern is serious enough to report.
• d.Make the report her own mandated-reporter duty requires, even though she was told otherwise.✓

(d) is correct: a mandated reporter's obligation belongs to the individual who formed the suspicion and is not canceled by someone else's opinion, which makes this one of the situations where deferring upward is the wrong answer. (a) treats the chain of command as though it outranked a legal duty. (b) creates a record of the instruction but still leaves the required report unmade. (c) substitutes a wait-and-see threshold for the reasonable-suspicion standard that actually triggers reporting.

RBT Devon mentions to a coworker that he intends to file a mandated report about a client. The coworker says the agency has a rule that all suspected-abuse reports are filed by the clinical director rather than by technicians. What should Devon do?

• a.Follow the agency rule and give the clinical director everything he observed today.
• b.File the report jointly with the clinical director so the agency's rule is still respected.
• c.Meet his own reporting obligation as required by law and inform the agency that he did.✓
• d.Ask the clinical director to confirm the rule in writing before he decides what to do.

(c) is correct: an internal policy cannot remove an individual mandated reporter's legal obligation, so Devon reports as the law requires of him and keeps his organization informed. (a) hands the duty to another person, which is exactly what a personal reporting obligation does not permit. (b) sounds cooperative but makes Devon's report contingent on someone else's participation. (d) delays a time-sensitive report while a policy question is settled, and the answer would not change his obligation anyway.

At the end of a session, Malik's mother tells RBT Rosa that the family is thinking about ending services next month because the drive is too long. Rosa's next supervision meeting is in nine days. What is the BEST course of action?

• a.Notify the supervisor the same day and document what the mother said about ending services.✓
• b.Offer to ask the office about moving Malik's sessions to a closer clinic location.
• c.Bring the family's plan to the supervision meeting in nine days along with the session data.
• d.Encourage the mother to stay, describing the progress Malik has made over recent months.

(a) is correct: a family considering discontinuation is time-sensitive information the supervisor needs immediately in order to respond, so it is documented and reported the same day. (b) has Rosa negotiating service arrangements she does not control, and it still leaves the supervisor unaware. (c) delays urgent information more than a week, by which time the decision may be made. (d) puts Rosa in the position of persuading the family rather than reporting to the person responsible for the case.

Which situation most clearly requires an RBT to contact the supervisor the same day rather than waiting for the next scheduled supervision meeting?

• a.A caregiver mentions that the client enjoyed a new reinforcer offered during today's session.
• b.A caregiver reports that the client's behavior plan has not been run at home for two weeks.✓
• c.A teacher comments that the client seemed cheerful during the morning classroom routine.
• d.A caregiver asks how many sessions the client has attended so far during this month.

(b) is correct: two weeks of non-implementation changes how every data point in that period should be interpreted and calls for a supervisor decision, which makes it timely-report material. (a) is useful information for the next meeting but nothing is at risk while it waits. (c) is a general positive observation with no bearing on programming decisions. (d) is an administrative question the RBT or the office can answer without any clinical urgency.

In a school meeting, the special-education teacher says she believes Jonah's aggression is caused by his medication and asks RBT Farah to relay that to the BCBA. Farah has no information about Jonah's medication. What should Farah report?

• a.That Jonah's aggression appears to be a medication side effect according to the school team.
• b.Nothing yet, until the teacher provides documentation supporting a medication side effect.
• c.That the teacher stated her belief that medication is causing the aggression, attributed to her.✓
• d.That Jonah's medication needs to be reviewed before the aggression program continues.

(c) is correct: the RBT relays the concern accurately and attributes it to its source, which keeps the report objective while still getting the information to the supervisor. (a) reports the teacher's hypothesis as if it were established fact about Jonah. (b) withholds a team concern the supervisor should hear; verification is the supervisor's task, not a precondition for reporting. (d) converts a relayed concern into a clinical recommendation, which is outside the RBT's role.

RBT Talia opens her client's binder and finds a new program, Receptive Identification of Emotions, added since her last session. She has never been trained on it and no one mentioned it to her. The session starts in five minutes. What should Talia do?

• a.Run the new program using the written instructions in the binder and note that it was new.
• b.Run the new program but score every trial as a prompted response until she is trained.
• c.Skip the whole session and reschedule it for after she has been trained on the program.
• d.Run the programs she is trained on and contact the supervisor about the new one today.✓

(d) is correct: E.2 covers seeking clinical direction for training needs in a timely manner, and the client still gets the services Talia is competent to deliver while the untrained program waits. (a) implements a procedure without training, risking incorrect implementation and unusable data. (b) still runs the program and, on top of that, deliberately records data that misrepresent what happened. (c) denies the client the entire session over one program she could simply set aside.