Data Collection + Graphing
17%of exam
Continuous MeasuresDiscontinuous MeasuresPermanent ProductGraphsObservable Terms
Behavior Assessment
11%of exam
PreferenceSkill AssessmentFunctional AssessmentAssessment Role
Behavior Acquisition
25%of exam
Behavior Reduction
19%of exam
FunctionsAntecedentsDifferential ReinforcementExtinctionPunishmentCrisis
Documentation + Reporting
13%of exam
Supervisor UpdatesObjective NotesVariablesChain of Command
Ethics
15%of exam
CompetenceSupervisionConfidentialityPublic StatementsBoundariesCulture
Quick Facts
- Exam
- RBT
- Role
- Supervised technician
- Questions
- 85 total
- Scored
- 75 items
- Pilot
- 10 items
- Time
- 90 minutes
- Format
- 4 choices
- Result
- Pass/fail
- Fees
- $65 + $45
- Blueprint
- TCO3 2026
Data Quality
Define, measure, graph, question fidelity.
DefineMeasureGraphFidelity
Frequency vs Rate
Frequency
- Raw count
- Same session length
- No time denominator
Rate
- Count per time
- Compare durations
- Needs denominator
Count vs count/time
Measurement Picker
- Countable event→Frequency
- Sessions vary→Rate
- Behavior lasts→Duration
- After instruction→Latency
- Between responses→IRT
- Outcome remains→Permanent product
Exam Format
- Total
- 85 questions
- Scored
- 75 questions
- Unscored
- 10 pilot
- Time
- 90 minutes
- Options
- 4 choices
- Result
- Pass/fail
- Attempts
- 8 maximum
- Retake wait
- 7 days
Latency vs IRT
Latency
- Cue to response
- One response start
- Instruction matters
IRT
- Response to response
- Between occurrences
- Spacing matters
After cue vs between
Measurement
- Frequency
- Count responses
- Rate
- Count per time
- Duration
- How long
- Latency
- Cue to response
- IRT
- Between responses
- Permanent product
- Count outcomes
- Trials
- Attempts to criterion
- Percentage
- Part over whole
Sampling + Graphs
- Partial interval
- Occurred anytime
- Whole interval
- Occurred throughout
- MTS
- Instant check
- Level
- Data height
- Trend
- Data direction
- Variability
- Data spread
- Phase line
- Condition change
- Fidelity
- Procedure accuracy
Descriptive vs FA
Descriptive
- Natural observation
- No manipulation
- Correlational clues
FA
- Manipulates variables
- Tests function
- Supervisor directed
Observe vs test
Assessment Tools
- Preference
- Find reinforcers
- MSWO
- Rank without replacement
- Paired stimulus
- Choose between two
- Free operant
- Observe free access
- Skill assessment
- Strengths and deficits
- Descriptive
- Observe naturally
- FA
- Manipulate variables
- ABC
- Antecedent behavior consequence
DTT vs NET
DTT
- Structured trials
- Clear SD
- Planned materials
NET
- Natural setting
- Learner motivation
- Flexible materials
Structured vs natural
Teaching Picker
- Clear trial format→DTT
- Natural motivation→NET
- Multi-step skill→Chaining
- New response form→Shaping
- Wrong stimulus response→Discrimination
- Across people/settings→Generalization
Reinforcement
- Positive
- Add stimulus
- Negative
- Remove stimulus
- Reinforcement
- Behavior increases
- Primary
- Unlearned value
- Conditioned
- Learned value
- Continuous
- Every response
- Intermittent
- Some responses
- Magnitude
- Reinforcer amount
Acquisition vs Maintenance
Acquisition
- New skill
- More prompts
- Dense reinforcement
Maintenance
- Known skill
- Less support
- Durable performance
Learn vs keep
Teaching
- DTT
- Structured trials
- SD
- Signals availability
- Response
- Learner action
- Consequence
- Follows response
- NET
- Natural context
- Incidental
- Learner initiates
- Discrimination
- Respond by stimulus
- Generalization
- Across examples
Prompts + Chains
- Prompt
- Extra help
- Fading
- Remove help
- Errorless
- Prevent errors
- Time delay
- Wait before prompt
- Forward chain
- Teach first step
- Backward chain
- Teach last step
- Total task
- Teach all steps
- Shaping
- Approximation reinforcement
Four Functions
SEAT explains common functions.
SensoryEscapeAttentionTangible
DRA vs DRI
DRA
- Alternative behavior
- Same function
- Can co-occur
DRI
- Incompatible behavior
- Cannot co-occur
- Physical mismatch
Alternative vs incompatible
Reduction Basics
- Function
- Maintaining reason
- Attention
- Social access
- Escape
- Demand removal
- Tangible
- Item access
- Automatic
- Sensory consequence
- Antecedent
- Before behavior
- NCR
- Time-based reinforcer
- High-p
- Easy request sequence
DR + Extinction
- DRA
- Alternative reinforced
- DRI
- Incompatible reinforced
- DRO
- Absence reinforced
- DRL
- Lower rate reinforced
- FCT
- Communication reinforced
- Extinction
- Reinforcer withheld
- Burst
- Temporary increase
- Resurgence
- Old behavior returns
Scope Stop
No plan, no independent change.
No planAsk supervisorDocument facts
Report vs Interpret
Report
- Objective facts
- Session variables
- Timely supervisor update
Interpret
- Clinical conclusion
- Function statement
- Plan redesign
RBT reports facts
Documentation
- Session note
- Objective record
- Concern
- Tell supervisor
- Suggestion
- Route upward
- Variable
- Affects progress
- Illness
- Document context
- Medication
- Report change
- Data issue
- Report promptly
- Chain
- Follow policy
RBT Role
Implement, record, report, ask.
ImplementRecordReportAsk
Scope Picker
- Written plan exists→Implement
- Plan unclear→Ask supervisor
- Caregiver requests change→Report request
- Safety issue→Crisis protocol
- Data sheet missing→Seek direction
- Confidential question→Do not disclose
Eligibility
- Age
- 18+
- Education
- High school
- Background
- 180-day check
- Abuse registry
- 180-day check
- Training
- 40 hours
- Training span
- 5-180 days
- Competency
- After training
- Assessment age
- Within 90 days
BST Steps
I model; you rehearse; feedback follows.
InstructionModelingRehearsalFeedback
Ethics + Supervision
- Benefit
- Protect clients
- Dignity
- Respect people
- Integrity
- Act honestly
- Competence
- Demonstrated skills
- Supervision
- Ongoing oversight
- BST
- Instructions modeling rehearsal feedback
- Confidentiality
- Protect information
- Public statements
- No misrepresentation
- Gifts
- Follow BACB code
- Culture
- Humility responsiveness
Common Traps
RBT Role
Implements plans ≠ Designs plans
Function Claim
Reports ABC data ≠ Declares function
Confidentiality
No client confirmation ≠ Harmless confirmation
Extinction
Withhold reinforcer ≠ Ignore all behavior
Punishment
Behavior decreases ≠ Stimulus feels bad
Negative Reinforcement
Removal increases behavior ≠ Punishment by removal
Interval Data
Estimates occurrence ≠ Exact frequency
Supervisor Status
Listed before practice ≠ Certified means active
Last Minute
- 1.RBT implements written plans
- 2.Supervisor directs clinical changes
- 3.85 total; 75 scored
- 4.90 minutes includes tutorial
- 5.Frequency equals count
- 6.Rate equals count/time
- 7.Latency follows cue
- 8.IRT sits between responses
- 9.DRA alternative; DRI incompatible
- 10.Extinction withholds maintaining reinforcer
- 11.Document variables affecting progress
- 12.Never confirm client identity
- 13.Competence before service delivery
- 14.Inactive RBT cannot practice
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