RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) — All Questions

Marcus, age 6, works quietly during independent seatwork. Each time the RBT turns away to write data, Marcus begins loudly tapping his pencil on the desk, and the tapping stops within seconds of the RBT looking up and saying his name. ABC data show the same pattern across twelve sessions. Which function does this pattern MOST likely indicate?

• a.Escape from the independent seatwork the RBT has presented.
• b.Attention from the adult who is working right next to him.✓
• c.Access to a preferred tangible item held by someone else.
• d.Automatic reinforcement produced by the tapping sound itself.

(b) is correct: the tapping reliably starts when adult attention is withdrawn and stops as soon as attention is delivered, which is the defining pattern of socially mediated positive reinforcement in the form of attention. (a) is wrong because the seatwork stays in place throughout — nothing about the tapping removes or postpones the task, so escape is not being produced. (c) is wrong because no preferred item is delivered after the tapping; access to tangibles requires that an item or activity follow the response. (d) is plausible because pencil tapping does produce sound, but automatic reinforcement would continue at a steady rate whether or not an adult responded, and here the behavior is entirely controlled by the adult's attention.

Priya screams and pushes her worksheet away each time the RBT presents a three-digit subtraction page. The teacher usually removes the worksheet and lets her sit quietly for a few minutes afterward. Screaming almost never occurs during art or snack. Which function is MOST consistent with these data?

• a.Attention from the teacher who comes over and responds to her.
• b.Access to the quiet corner she is allowed to sit in afterward.
• c.Escape from the subtraction worksheet that is then removed.✓
• d.Automatic reinforcement produced by the screaming response.

(c) is correct: the screaming occurs only when a specific demand is presented and reliably ends with that demand being removed, which is social negative reinforcement — escape. (a) is plausible because an adult does approach, but attention is incidental here; the behavior is absent during art and snack, when adults are equally available, so attention is not what is controlling it. (b) describes the quiet time as a tangible reward, but sitting quietly is the absence of work rather than an item Priya gains; the functional consequence is still termination of the task. (d) is wrong because the behavior is tightly tied to one antecedent — the subtraction page — and automatic reinforcement would not be so completely context-specific.

Devon rocks and hums for long periods whether he is alone in his room, riding in the van, or sitting in a group session, and the behavior continues at the same rate when no one responds to it. Which function do these observations MOST support?

• a.Automatic reinforcement produced by the movement and the sound.✓
• b.Attention from the adults who comment on the rocking behavior.
• c.Escape from the group activities he is being asked to join.
• d.Access to preferred items delivered after the rocking begins.

(a) is correct: behavior that persists across settings, occurs when the person is alone, and is unaffected by whether others respond is the signature of automatic reinforcement — the response itself produces the reinforcing consequence. (b) is wrong because the rate does not change when attention is withheld; an attention function requires that the behavior be sensitive to whether attention is delivered. (c) is plausible because the rocking sometimes happens during group work, but it also happens alone in his room and in the van when no demands are present, so demand removal is not what maintains it. (d) is wrong because no item follows the behavior; the pattern holds even when nothing is delivered.

Every time the RBT ends iPad time, Sofia drops to the floor and cries. Her mother reports that handing the iPad back stops the crying within seconds, and that crying does not occur on days when the iPad was never available. Which function is MOST likely maintaining the crying?

• a.Escape from the transition to the next scheduled activity.
• b.Attention from the adult who comes over to comfort her.
• c.Automatic reinforcement produced by the crying behavior.
• d.Access to the tangible item that is handed back to her.✓

(d) is correct: the crying begins when a preferred item is removed and ends immediately when that item is returned, which is socially mediated access to a tangible. (a) is plausible because a transition is occurring, but the crying does not remove the next activity — it produces the iPad, and it never occurs on days the iPad was absent even though transitions still happen. (b) is wrong because comfort is incidental; the behavior stops when the item is returned, not when soothing is delivered. (c) is wrong because the behavior is entirely dependent on someone else handing the iPad back, which makes it socially mediated rather than automatic.

Amir's behavior intervention plan states that his hand-flapping is maintained by automatic reinforcement and is to be redirected only when it interrupts task completion. During table work Amir flaps briefly between trials without slowing the lesson. A new classroom aide asks the RBT why she is not stopping the flapping. What should the RBT do?

• a.Block the flapping each time so the aide sees a consistent response.
• b.Pause the session and ask the supervising BCBA whether to block it.
• c.Explain the plan to the aide and let the aide decide how to respond.
• d.Keep teaching and redirect only when flapping interrupts the task.✓

(d) is correct: the written plan already specifies the exact condition for redirection, and running it with fidelity is the RBT's job — brief flapping between trials does not meet that condition. (a) applies a more restrictive response than the plan authorizes and would suppress a behavior the team has decided to leave alone; consistency with the aide is not a clinical reason to change a procedure. (b) is unnecessary escalation: contacting the BCBA is for situations the plan does not cover, safety risks, or needed plan changes, and this situation is explicitly covered — any concern can be raised after the session. (c) hands implementation decisions to someone who is not trained on the plan, which breaks treatment integrity.

Across two weeks of ABC data, Nina's spitting occurs almost exclusively during math worksheets and stops when the worksheet is removed. Identical spitting during free play occurs when no adult is nearby and produces no consequence at all. What do these data MOST support?

• a.The same response form serves a different function in each context.✓
• b.The spitting serves an attention function in both of the contexts.
• c.The spitting serves an escape function in both of the contexts.
• d.The spitting serves an automatic function in both of the contexts.

(a) is correct: topography does not determine function, and these data show two distinct patterns — demand-linked spitting that ends with task removal, and alone-condition spitting that produces nothing social — so the same form is maintained by different consequences in different contexts. (b) is wrong because neither pattern shows attention being delivered after the behavior. (c) captures the math-worksheet pattern only; the free-play spitting occurs with no demand present and no consequence delivered. (d) captures the free-play pattern only; the worksheet spitting is clearly controlled by removal of the task, which is socially mediated.

Which statement describes social negative reinforcement as a function of problem behavior?

• a.The behavior produces a preferred item or activity from another person.
• b.The behavior produces attention such as reprimands, comfort, or talk.
• c.The behavior removes or postpones a demand delivered by another person.✓
• d.The behavior produces sensory consequences independent of other people.

(c) is correct: negative reinforcement means something is taken away or delayed after the response, and 'social' means another person mediates it — so a demand being withdrawn by an adult is the textbook case. (a) describes access to tangibles, which is social positive reinforcement because something is added. (b) describes the attention function, also social positive reinforcement. (d) describes automatic reinforcement, which is not socially mediated at all — no other person is required for the consequence to occur.

An RBT is told that a learner's behavior is maintained by automatic reinforcement. What does this mean?

• a.The reinforcer is delivered on an automatic timed schedule by an adult.
• b.The behavior produces its own reinforcing consequence without others.✓
• c.The behavior occurs automatically whenever a specific demand is given.
• d.The behavior is an involuntary reflex outside the learner's control.

(b) is correct: automatic reinforcement means the response itself generates the reinforcing consequence, so no other person has to deliver anything. (a) describes a fixed-time schedule of delivery, which is a feature of noncontingent reinforcement and still requires another person. (c) confuses a function with an antecedent relationship — reliable occurrence after a demand suggests an escape function, not an automatic one. (d) is wrong because automatic reinforcement describes operant behavior maintained by its consequences, not a respondent reflex.

Jonah's plan identifies attention as the function of his loud humming and directs the RBT to withhold attention for humming and to deliver attention after 30 seconds of quiet work. During a group activity the RBT is helping another learner when Jonah begins humming loudly. What should the RBT do FIRST?

• a.Continue helping the other learner and withhold attention for humming.✓
• b.Briefly tell Jonah that humming is not appropriate during group work.
• c.Move Jonah away from the group so the humming does not disturb peers.
• d.Ask the supervising BCBA whether the attention plan applies in groups.

(a) is correct: the plan covers this exact behavior, and withholding attention while continuing to work is precisely what the written procedure requires. (b) delivers attention in the form of a verbal correction, which is the very consequence identified as maintaining the humming — reprimands function as attention. (c) also delivers attention through physical proximity and movement, and it removes Jonah from the instructional activity without any plan authorization. (d) is unnecessary escalation: the plan already tells the RBT how to respond, so stopping to ask the BCBA delays implementation and interrupts services that are covered by the written procedure.

An RBT records that Kayla's screaming occurs only when a peer is holding the bubble wand, and that it ends as soon as the peer hands the wand over. Adults nearby do not respond to the screaming at all. Which function does this pattern MOST support?

• a.Attention, because a peer is present whenever the screaming occurs.
• b.Escape, because the peer's play routine is a demand placed on Kayla.
• c.Automatic, because the adults nearby do not respond to the screaming.
• d.Access to a tangible item that another person is currently holding.✓

(d) is correct: the screaming begins when a preferred item is unavailable and ends when the item is delivered, which is access to a tangible — the fact that a peer rather than an adult delivers it does not change the function. (a) confuses the presence of a person with attention as a consequence; no one attends to the screaming. (b) is wrong because no demand is placed on Kayla and nothing is removed after she screams. (c) misreads adult non-response as evidence of automatic reinforcement, but a peer is reliably mediating the consequence, which makes it socially mediated.

Ravi's behavior plan states that his elopement is maintained by escape from demands. Over the past week the RBT's ABC data show elopement occurring most often during free play with no demands present, and each episode ends with staff chasing him. What should the RBT do?

• a.Stop using the escape procedure and withhold attention after elopement.
• b.Keep implementing the plan and report the data pattern to the BCBA.✓
• c.Begin running a functional analysis to confirm an attention function.
• d.Add a brief verbal reprimand after elopement so no chase is needed.

(b) is correct: the data suggest the plan's function hypothesis may be wrong, and a change to the function or the procedure is a clinical decision only the supervising BCBA can make — so the RBT keeps running the current plan for safety and consistency while reporting the discrepancy promptly. (a) is the RBT unilaterally switching procedures, which is outside the RBT's scope even when the reasoning looks sound. (c) is wrong because designing and conducting a functional analysis is the behavior analyst's role, not the RBT's. (d) adds a consequence that is not in the plan and could easily function as attention, worsening the very pattern in the data.

Which set correctly names the common functions of behavior addressed in behavior reduction plans?

• a.Attention, escape, access to tangibles, and punishment of behavior.
• b.Attention, escape, extinction, and automatic reinforcement of behavior.
• c.Attention, escape, access to tangibles, and automatic reinforcement.✓
• d.Attention, avoidance, satiation, and automatic reinforcement of behavior.

(c) is correct: the four commonly cited functions are attention, escape from demands, access to tangibles or activities, and automatic or sensory reinforcement. (a) substitutes punishment, which is a procedure applied to behavior rather than a consequence that maintains it. (b) substitutes extinction, which is likewise a procedure the team implements, not a function that maintains behavior. (d) substitutes avoidance and satiation; avoidance is a subtype of the escape function rather than a separate one, and satiation is a motivating operation that changes reinforcer value rather than a maintaining consequence.

Elena's plan directs the RBT to deliver 20 seconds of adult attention every 2 minutes on a timer, regardless of what Elena is doing, in order to reduce her attention-maintained call-outs. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?

• a.Differential reinforcement of other behavior on a 2-minute interval.
• b.A high-probability request sequence delivered every two minutes.
• c.Noncontingent reinforcement delivered on a fixed-time schedule.✓
• d.Differential reinforcement of an alternative way to ask for attention.

(c) is correct: attention is delivered on a time-based schedule with no behavioral requirement, which is the definition of noncontingent reinforcement — it weakens the call-outs by reducing the motivation to seek attention. (a) is the closest look-alike, but DRO would require that the target behavior be absent for the interval before attention is delivered, and here delivery happens regardless. (b) describes presenting easy requests before a hard one, which is not what is being done. (d) would require Elena to emit a specific replacement response before attention is delivered, and no response requirement exists.

Before asking Tomas to put on his shoes — a request he usually refuses — the RBT asks him to give a high five, clap his hands, and touch his nose, praising each response. She then asks him to put on his shoes. Which antecedent procedure is this?

• a.Demand fading, because the difficult request is delivered last.
• b.A high-probability request sequence, also called behavioral momentum.✓
• c.Noncontingent reinforcement delivered before the difficult task.
• d.Errorless teaching, because Tomas responds correctly on every trial.

(b) is correct: several requests with a high probability of compliance are delivered in quick succession and reinforced, immediately before the low-probability request — the defining structure of a high-p sequence. (a) is wrong because demand fading gradually increases the task requirement across sessions; nothing about the shoe request is being reduced or built up here. (c) is wrong because the praise is contingent on Tomas responding, so the reinforcement is not noncontingent. (d) is wrong because errorless teaching prevents errors by prompting the target response; it is a skill-acquisition prompting strategy, not an antecedent compliance procedure.

Ines' plan says to begin with one math problem per work period and to add one more problem after every two sessions in which she completes the set without protest. Which antecedent procedure does this describe?

• a.Shaping, because closer approximations of math skill are reinforced.
• b.A high-probability request sequence built out of easy math problems.
• c.Noncontingent escape delivered on a gradually thinning break schedule.
• d.Demand fading, which gradually increases the task requirement over time.✓

(d) is correct: the procedure starts the demand at a level that does not evoke problem behavior and systematically increases it as the learner is successful, which is demand fading. (a) is a reasonable-sounding confusion, but shaping reinforces successive approximations of a new response form, whereas here the response is unchanged and only the amount of work is growing. (b) is wrong because no series of easy requests precedes a hard one within a single moment. (c) is wrong because breaks are not being delivered on a time-based schedule; the plan manipulates how much work is presented, not how much escape is given.

Cole's plan calls for offering him a choice of two work materials before each drill, because protest behavior is much lower when he chooses. The RBT is running behind schedule and considers skipping the choice step to save time. What should the RBT do?

• a.Offer the two choices as written, because choice is part of the plan.✓
• b.Skip the choice step today and note the change in the session note.
• c.Offer four different materials so the choice takes less time overall.
• d.Ask the supervising BCBA whether the choice step can be skipped today.

(a) is correct: the choice step is a written antecedent intervention with demonstrated effect, and running behind schedule is not a clinical reason to drop a component — procedural fidelity is what makes the intervention work. (b) treats documentation as a substitute for implementation; noting a deviation does not make the deviation acceptable. (c) changes the procedure the plan specifies and would likely take longer, not less time, while also risking a different response to a larger array. (d) is unnecessary escalation over a scheduling pressure the RBT can solve by simply running the step, which takes seconds; the BCBA is contacted for uncovered situations, safety issues, or needed plan changes.

An RBT delivers a preferred toy every three minutes on a timer regardless of behavior. A colleague says this is the same thing as DRO. What is the key difference between the two procedures?

• a.DRO delivers reinforcement on a timer regardless of what the learner does.
• b.NCR delivers reinforcement on the timer regardless of the learner's behavior.✓
• c.NCR is used only for escape behavior and DRO only for attention behavior.
• d.DRO uses a different reinforcer from the one that maintains the behavior.

(b) is correct: noncontingent reinforcement is time-based with no behavioral requirement, whereas DRO delivers the reinforcer only if the target behavior has been absent for the interval. (a) reverses the two procedures — it describes NCR while labeling it DRO. (c) invents a restriction that does not exist; both procedures are used across functions, with the reinforcer matched to the function. (d) is wrong because DRO typically uses the functional reinforcer, and using a different reinforcer is neither required nor what separates it from NCR.

Sam's plan includes noncontingent access to a weighted lap pad throughout table work to reduce out-of-seat behavior, and directs the RBT to prompt him back to the chair and continue the lesson if he does get up. Ten minutes in, Sam leaves his seat. A visiting therapist suggests taking the lap pad away as a consequence. What should the RBT do?

• a.Prompt Sam back to his chair, keep the lap pad available, and continue.✓
• b.Remove the lap pad for the rest of the work period as the visitor said.
• c.End the work period and contact the BCBA about the therapist's idea.
• d.Give Sam a two-minute break to move before returning him to the work.

(a) is correct: the plan specifies both the antecedent component and the response to out-of-seat behavior, so the RBT implements exactly that. (b) turns a noncontingent antecedent support into a contingent consequence the plan never authorized, and removing the support most likely increases the behavior it was meant to prevent. (c) is unnecessary escalation and ends services that are fully covered by the written plan; a suggestion from a visitor is not a clinical emergency, and it can be raised with the BCBA afterward. (d) delivers a break contingent on leaving the seat, which risks reinforcing out-of-seat behavior with escape from work.

Bilal's plan schedules a one-minute break every four minutes during handwriting, delivered on a timer whether or not he has protested, because his protest behavior is escape-maintained. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?

• a.Differential negative reinforcement of an alternative break request.
• b.Escape extinction paired with a gradually thinned demand schedule.
• c.A high-probability request sequence embedded in the handwriting task.
• d.Noncontingent escape delivered on a fixed-time schedule of breaks.✓

(d) is correct: breaks — the functional reinforcer for escape-maintained behavior — are delivered on a time-based schedule with no response requirement, which is noncontingent reinforcement in its negative-reinforcement form. (a) would require Bilal to emit a specific break request before escape was delivered, and the timer removes any such requirement. (b) is the opposite of what is happening; escape extinction means protest no longer produces a break, while this plan gives breaks freely. (c) is wrong because no series of easy requests precedes the handwriting demand.

Maya refuses about half of all hand-washing requests, but she reliably follows requests to wave, high-five, and spin. Her plan lists antecedent strategies the RBT may use to increase compliance with hand washing. Which strategy fits this situation BEST?

• a.Fade the hand-washing task down to a single step for several sessions.
• b.Provide noncontingent access to the sink toys before making the request.
• c.Deliver three requests she follows reliably, then the hand-washing request.✓
• d.Offer a choice between washing hands now or washing hands in five minutes.

(c) is correct: the scenario supplies exactly what a high-probability request sequence needs — a set of responses with a high likelihood of compliance and one low-probability request to follow them. (a) is a legitimate antecedent strategy but does not use the information given, and hand washing is already a short routine with limited room to fade. (b) provides free access to items associated with the task, which can reduce motivation to complete it rather than build momentum. (d) offers a choice between two versions of the same demand, which delays the task without changing the momentum for compliance.

Nadia's plan specifies noncontingent access to a crunchy snack every five minutes to reduce mouthing of non-food items. This morning her caregiver reports that Nadia has a new dental appliance and cannot eat crunchy foods. The plan names no substitute item. What should the RBT do?

• a.Substitute a soft snack of similar size on the same five-minute schedule.
• b.Run the session without the snack and record the mouthing that occurs.
• c.Skip the noncontingent schedule and use verbal redirection instead.
• d.Contact the supervising BCBA before the session for a plan modification.✓

(d) is correct: a medical change has made the plan's specified reinforcer unusable, the plan does not cover the situation, and selecting a replacement reinforcer is a clinical decision — this is exactly when escalation is required rather than optional. (a) looks helpful but substitutes a reinforcer on the RBT's own judgment, which modifies the plan; the new item may not function as a reinforcer and may not be dentally appropriate. (b) knowingly runs a session with the main preventive component missing, leaving Nadia without support for a behavior that puts objects in her mouth. (c) replaces a planned antecedent procedure with an improvised consequence strategy the plan never authorized.

Before each session the RBT lets Ken play freely with the trains for ten minutes, then uses train time as the reinforcer for work. Over the past week Ken has become slow to respond and often refuses the trains when they are offered. What is the MOST likely explanation?

• a.The train reinforcer has lost value because the work is now too easy.
• b.Ken has developed prompt dependence from the pre-session play routine.
• c.Free access before the session has satiated Ken on the train reinforcer.✓
• d.The trains were not a reinforcer, only a preferred free-time activity.

(c) is correct: free access immediately before a session is a satiation operation that lowers the value of the item, so the trains no longer function as an effective reinforcer during work. (a) confuses task difficulty with reinforcer value; easy work would not by itself make a preferred item lose its effect. (b) describes reliance on prompts to respond correctly, which is a skill-acquisition problem and unrelated to free access to a reinforcer. (d) is contradicted by the history — the trains previously worked as a reinforcer, and the change followed the introduction of free access.

Riley's plan calls for reviewing a visual schedule before each transition to reduce transition tantrums. When the RBT arrives, the classroom's laminated schedule cannot be found anywhere. What should the RBT do FIRST?

• a.Run the transitions without a schedule and document the tantrums.
• b.Make a substitute visual schedule and run the procedure as written.✓
• c.Call the supervising BCBA and wait for direction before transitioning.
• d.Give extra verbal warnings before each transition instead of visuals.

(b) is correct: the missing item is a materials problem, not a clinical one — recreating the visual and continuing preserves the procedure exactly as written, which is what treatment integrity requires. (a) knowingly drops a plan component and treats data collection as a substitute for implementation. (c) is unnecessary escalation: nothing about the procedure is in question, and holding transitions while waiting for a reply would disrupt the whole session over a laminating issue. (d) swaps a visual support for a verbal one, which is a change to the intervention and removes the very feature the plan relies on.

Which of the following is an antecedent intervention rather than a consequence procedure?

• a.Presenting a series of easy requests just before a difficult request.✓
• b.Delivering praise after five minutes with no target behavior at all.
• c.Withholding all adult attention following each call-out that occurs.
• d.Removing a preferred toy for 30 seconds after each throwing episode.

(a) is correct: a high-probability request sequence is arranged before the target demand and changes the conditions under which the behavior occurs, which makes it an antecedent intervention. (b) describes DRO, in which reinforcement follows a period without the behavior — the delivery is contingent on what happened, so it is a consequence procedure. (c) describes extinction, which is defined entirely by what does or does not follow the response. (d) describes response cost or a brief time-out, both of which are consequences delivered after the behavior.

Owen's plan states that the RBT sets a timer for four minutes and delivers a token if no hair-pulling has occurred during that interval, and that the timer resets if hair-pulling occurs. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?

• a.Differential reinforcement of other behavior on a resetting interval.✓
• b.Differential reinforcement of an alternative hands-down response.
• c.Differential reinforcement of behavior incompatible with hair-pulling.
• d.Noncontingent reinforcement delivered on a fixed-time token schedule.

(a) is correct: reinforcement is delivered contingent on the absence of the target behavior for a specified period, and the interval restarts after an occurrence — resetting DRO. (b) would require Owen to emit a specific replacement response before earning the token, and no such response is named. (c) would require a designated behavior that physically cannot co-occur with hair-pulling; the plan reinforces the absence of pulling, not a competing response. (d) is wrong because the token is withheld when the behavior occurs, so delivery is not noncontingent.

Nia's plan teaches her to hand the RBT a break card, after which the demand ends immediately for one minute. Screaming, which previously produced breaks, no longer ends the demand. Which procedure is this?

• a.Differential reinforcement of other behavior, using escape as the reinforcer.
• b.Functional communication training, a type of differential reinforcement.✓
• c.Differential reinforcement of low rates of screaming during work periods.
• d.Noncontingent escape delivered on a fixed-time schedule during work.

(b) is correct: a specific communicative response is taught and reinforced with the same consequence that maintained the problem behavior, while the problem behavior no longer produces it — this is functional communication training, a form of DRA. (a) is wrong because reinforcement here follows a designated response, not merely the absence of screaming. (c) is wrong because nothing in the plan reinforces a reduced rate of screaming; screaming produces nothing at all. (d) is wrong because breaks are delivered only after the card exchange, which makes them contingent rather than noncontingent.

Gabe's plan directs the RBT to praise him and deliver a token every time he keeps both hands flat on the table for 30 seconds, because hands on the table cannot occur at the same moment as face-slapping. Which procedure is this?

• a.Differential reinforcement of other behavior for the absence of slapping.
• b.Differential reinforcement of an alternative requesting response.
• c.Differential reinforcement of behavior physically incompatible with slapping.✓
• d.Differential reinforcement of low rates of face-slapping across a session.

(c) is correct: the reinforced response is topographically incompatible with the target — hands cannot be flat on the table and striking the face at the same time — which is the definition of DRI. (a) is the nearest neighbor, but DRO reinforces the absence of the behavior with no particular response required, whereas here a specific response is required. (b) is a DRA variant, but the reinforced response is not a communicative alternative that serves the same function. (d) is wrong because the plan does not reinforce a reduced rate of slapping; it reinforces a competing response.

Talia asks to use the bathroom about twenty times per hour, far more than she needs. Her plan directs the RBT to praise her and deliver a sticker at the end of any hour in which she has asked five times or fewer. Which procedure is this?

• a.Differential reinforcement of other behavior on a one-hour interval.
• b.Differential reinforcement of an alternative way to request the bathroom.
• c.Differential reinforcement of behavior incompatible with asking to leave.
• d.Differential reinforcement of low rates of the bathroom-request behavior.✓

(d) is correct: the target behavior is appropriate but occurs too often, and reinforcement is delivered when its rate falls at or below a set criterion — DRL. (a) is wrong because DRO would require zero occurrences during the interval, and here five requests still earn the sticker. (b) is wrong because no new response form is being taught; the same request is simply expected less often. (c) is wrong because no physically competing response is specified in the plan. Note that DRL is appropriate here precisely because the behavior itself is acceptable in moderation.

Which feature identifies a procedure as DRO rather than one of the other differential reinforcement procedures?

• a.Reinforcement is delivered after a specific replacement response occurs.
• b.Reinforcement is delivered after a response incompatible with the target.
• c.Reinforcement is delivered when the target has not occurred for a period.✓
• d.Reinforcement is delivered on a timer regardless of the learner's behavior.

(c) is correct: DRO makes reinforcement contingent on the omission of the target behavior for a specified interval, with no particular alternative response required. (a) describes DRA, in which a designated replacement response earns the reinforcer. (b) describes DRI, a DRA variant in which the reinforced response physically cannot co-occur with the target. (d) describes noncontingent reinforcement, which has no behavioral requirement at all and is therefore not a differential reinforcement procedure.

Aiden's plan directs the RBT to reinforce every instance of his 'help me' sign and to withhold reinforcement for whining. During a session Aiden signs 'help me' while the RBT is still setting out materials for the next task. What should the RBT do?

• a.Finish setting out the materials, then respond so the routine is not disrupted.
• b.Prompt Aiden to wait quietly and reinforce the sign after ten seconds pass.
• c.Ask the supervising BCBA whether every single sign must really be reinforced.
• d.Stop setting up and respond to the sign immediately, as the plan specifies.✓

(d) is correct: during the teaching phase the plan calls for reinforcing every occurrence, and immediacy is what builds the new response strongly enough to compete with whining. (a) delays reinforcement, which weakens the sign and makes whining more likely to reappear when the sign does not work quickly. (b) adds a waiting requirement the plan does not contain; thinning the schedule is a clinical decision, not an in-session adjustment. (c) is unnecessary escalation over a procedure the plan states explicitly — the question of when to thin reinforcement can be raised with the BCBA outside the session.

Maya's plan uses a resetting DRO with a five-minute interval. At the four-minute mark Maya screams. What should the RBT do?

• a.Withhold the token and restart the full five-minute interval from now.✓
• b.Deliver the token at five minutes because most of the interval was clean.
• c.Withhold the token and resume timing where the interval left off at four.
• d.Shorten the interval to two minutes so Maya contacts reinforcement sooner.

(a) is correct: in a resetting DRO an occurrence of the target behavior restarts the interval, so reinforcement now requires a full five behavior-free minutes. (b) would deliver reinforcement close in time to the screaming, which is exactly what the procedure is designed to prevent. (c) describes a non-resetting DRO, a different procedure than the one this plan specifies. (d) changes the interval length, which is a plan modification the supervising behavior analyst makes based on data, not something adjusted in the moment.

An RBT is asked to describe the difference between DRA and DRI. Which statement is accurate?

• a.DRA reinforces the absence of behavior and DRI reinforces a replacement.
• b.DRI reinforces a response that cannot occur at the same time as the target.✓
• c.DRA reinforces lower rates of the target and DRI reinforces its absence.
• d.DRI reinforces any behavior other than the target during a set interval.

(b) is correct: DRI is a subtype of DRA in which the reinforced alternative is physically incompatible with the target behavior. (a) misdescribes DRA, which reinforces a specific alternative response rather than the absence of behavior. (c) describes DRL and DRO under the wrong labels. (d) describes DRO, in which reinforcement follows an interval without the target and no specific response is required.

A team is choosing a differential reinforcement procedure for a learner who bites hard enough to break skin. Which consideration is MOST important?

• a.DRL is a good fit because it reduces the behavior without using extinction.
• b.DRL is a poor fit because it tolerates occurrences of a dangerous behavior.✓
• c.DRO is a poor fit because it does not teach a replacement for the biting.
• d.DRA is a poor fit because it requires a fixed-time reinforcement schedule.

(b) is correct: DRL delivers reinforcement when the behavior occurs at or below a criterion rate, which means some occurrences are accepted — an unacceptable arrangement when a single occurrence causes injury. (a) has the reasoning backwards; avoiding extinction is not an advantage when the procedure permits continued injury. (c) states something true of DRO in isolation, but DRO is commonly combined with skill teaching and is not ruled out for dangerous behavior the way DRL is. (d) misdescribes DRA, which delivers reinforcement contingent on an alternative response, not on a fixed-time schedule.

Over three weeks on a three-minute DRO, Leah has earned reinforcement in fewer than one interval in ten and her screaming has not decreased. The plan gives no instruction for adjusting the interval length. What should the RBT do?

• a.Shorten the DRO interval to one minute so Leah contacts reinforcement.
• b.Continue the three-minute interval and wait for the next scheduled review.
• c.Deliver the reinforcer after intervals containing only brief screaming.
• d.Report the data to the supervising BCBA, who decides on any interval change.✓

(d) is correct: the data show the procedure is not working and the plan does not cover an adjustment, which makes this a needed plan change — a clinical decision for the BCBA, prompted by the RBT reporting the data in a timely way. (a) is the right clinical idea but the wrong person making it; changing an interval is modifying the plan. (b) keeps fidelity but withholds information the supervisor needs, and three weeks of non-response is exactly what should be communicated rather than stored up. (c) delivers reinforcement after the target behavior has occurred, which undermines the contingency and could strengthen screaming.

Kai's plan pairs teaching him to tap the RBT's arm for attention with withholding attention for shouting. During a session Kai shouts while the RBT is writing data. What should the RBT do?

• a.Give brief eye contact so Kai knows he was heard, then prompt the arm tap.
• b.Tell Kai calmly that shouting does not work and wait for him to tap.
• c.Withhold attention for the shouting and prompt the arm tap when he is quiet.✓
• d.Ask the classroom teacher to respond so the RBT does not reinforce shouting.

(c) is correct: the plan combines extinction for shouting with reinforcement of the alternative response, so the RBT withholds attention and creates an opportunity for the tap to be prompted and reinforced. (a) delivers attention immediately after shouting, and eye contact is attention — this reinforces the behavior the plan is extinguishing. (b) also delivers attention through a verbal explanation, which is a common and understandable error. (d) shifts attention delivery to another adult but the shouting still produces adult responding, and it hands part of the procedure to someone not trained on the plan.

A plan directs the RBT to give Sam 30 seconds of tickles at the end of every two-minute interval in which no spitting occurred. Sam spits at one minute and 50 seconds. What does the RBT do at the two-minute mark?

• a.Withhold the tickles, because spitting occurred during that interval.✓
• b.Deliver the tickles, because the two-minute interval has now ended.
• c.Deliver the tickles but shorten them to 15 seconds as a consequence.
• d.Withhold the tickles and require two clean intervals before delivering.

(a) is correct: DRO makes the reinforcer contingent on the absence of the target for the entire interval, and one occurrence disqualifies the interval no matter when it happened. (b) treats the interval as a timer for delivery rather than a contingency, which is the most common DRO fidelity error and effectively converts the procedure into noncontingent reinforcement. (c) still delivers the reinforcer moments after spitting, which is precisely what the contingency is meant to prevent. (d) adds a stricter requirement than the plan specifies; changing the criterion is a clinical decision, not an in-session judgment call.

Devon's plan teaches him to press a break button to escape work, and states that during the teaching phase every break request is honored. In one ten-minute period he presses the button 30 times and completes almost no work. What should the RBT do?

• a.Honor each request as written and report the high rate to the BCBA.✓
• b.Begin honoring only every third request so Devon completes some work.
• c.Honor requests only after Devon has completed at least one work trial.
• d.Stop honoring the button and prompt work completion before any break.

(a) is correct: dense reinforcement of a new communicative response is expected early in functional communication training, so the RBT keeps the contingency intact while promptly giving the BCBA the data that will drive any schedule thinning. (b) thins the schedule on the RBT's own judgment, which risks extinguishing the new response and bringing back the problem behavior. (c) adds a work requirement the plan does not contain, changing the contingency mid-teaching. (d) places the newly taught response on extinction, the fastest way to lose the skill and see the original escape behavior return.

Ellie's plan specifies a DRA in which she earns two minutes with the slime jar for each completed request. Her mother tells the RBT that she thinks the slime is too messy and asks that stickers be used instead. What should the RBT do?

• a.Switch to stickers, because caregiver preference should guide reinforcers.
• b.Offer Ellie a choice between the slime jar and the stickers on each trial.
• c.Run the plan as written and pass the mother's concern along after session.✓
• d.Stop the DRA and contact the supervising BCBA before continuing today.

(c) is correct: reinforcer selection is part of the written plan, so the RBT implements it as specified and routes the caregiver's concern to the supervisor through normal communication channels, which is the RBT's documented role. (a) changes a plan component on a caregiver's request; stickers may not function as a reinforcer for Ellie at all, and the DRA would stop working. (b) is a softer version of the same problem — adding a reinforcer option is still a plan modification. (d) is unnecessary escalation that halts a fully covered procedure mid-session; a caregiver preference is neither a safety issue nor an uncovered situation.

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.