Free 85-Question Timed RBT Mock Exam (90 Minutes)

Answer rationales

Finished the mock? Here's every question with the explanation you saw after submitting. No peeking before your 90 minutes are up! Terms are defined in the RBT exam glossary.

1. Per his plan, when Tomas, 7, finishes three math problems in a row, the RBT crosses two problems off his remaining worksheet. Over the next week, Tomas starts finishing problems faster. Which procedure is the RBT implementing?
Removing part of the worksheet, a demand Tomas would rather avoid, right after he finishes problems, and then seeing that behavior increase, is negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is tempting because something changes after the behavior, but nothing is added here; a stimulus is taken away. Negative punishment also removes something, but it decreases behavior, and Tomas's problem completion went up.

2. At a day program, Gloria, 34, slaps the table whenever staff turn away to talk with each other. Each time, a staff member walks over, says "Gloria, gentle hands," and chats with her for a minute. Slapping rarely occurs while staff are already talking with her. Which function is most consistent with this pattern?
Slapping occurs when staff attention is withdrawn, is followed by a staff member talking with Gloria, and rarely occurs when she already has attention. That pattern points to an attention function. Escape is unlikely because no demand comes before the slapping and nothing is removed afterward. Nothing tangible is delivered, and the behavior depends on social conditions, so automatic reinforcement fits poorly.

3. Priya, 10, is working on asking for help less often during seatwork. Her RBT is told to measure interresponse time. Priya's first request ends at 10:02:00. Her second request starts at 10:02:45 and ends at 10:02:50. Her third request starts at 10:04:20. Which interresponse times should the RBT record?
Interresponse time is the time from the end of one response to the start of the next. From 10:02:00 to 10:02:45 is 45 seconds, and from 10:02:50 to 10:04:20 is 90 seconds. The 95-second figure measures from the start of the second request instead of its end, which wrongly adds the 5 seconds the request itself lasted.

4. At the end of a busy day, an RBT realizes she marked on a data sheet that she probed a target with Lena, but she ran out of time and never ran the probe. Which core principle of the RBT Ethics Code is most directly involved as she corrects the record?
The RBT Ethics Code names four core principles: benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity; and ensure their own competence. Recording a probe that never happened is an honesty and accuracy problem, so integrity is most directly involved, and correcting it promptly upholds that principle. Competence concerns having the skills to do the work, and nothing suggests she lacks them.

5. Liam's teacher tells the RBT that Liam, 8, has started covering his ears and leaving the room during school assemblies. She suggests adding noise-reducing headphones to his behavior plan. What should the RBT do?
Concerns and suggestions from team members such as teachers go to the supervisor in a timely manner, because the supervisor decides whether and how the plan changes. Starting the headphones is tempting since the idea sounds reasonable, but adding an intervention on one's own goes beyond the RBT role. Waiting weeks, or holding it for next month's meeting, delays information the supervisor needs now.

6. An RBT runs a multiple-stimulus-without-replacement preference assessment with six items for Zara, 5. On the first trial, Zara picks the bubbles and plays with them briefly. What should the RBT do for the second trial?
In a multiple-stimulus-without-replacement assessment, the selected item is not returned to the array. The RBT removes the bubbles, rearranges the remaining items, and presents them again until all are chosen or the client stops choosing. Putting the bubbles back describes the with-replacement version, which can let one favorite be chosen on every trial and hide how the others rank.

7. The plan for Arjun, 9, says to praise hand raising after an unpredictable number of raises. In one class period, the RBT praises him after his 2nd, 7th, 10th, and 16th raise. Which schedule matches what the RBT delivered?
Count the raises between each praise: 2, then 7 minus 2 = 5, then 10 minus 7 = 3, then 16 minus 10 = 6. The average is (2 + 5 + 3 + 6) / 4 = 16 / 4 = 4, and the count changes each time, so this is VR 4. FR 4 would mean praise after exactly every 4th raise. VR 16 wrongly uses the total count instead of the average.

8. During a functional analysis designed by her BCBA, an RBT records hand-biting by Elena, 15. Rates are high in the tangible condition, where her favorite magazine is returned for 20 seconds after each bite, and low in the attention, demand, play, and alone conditions. Which function do these data most likely suggest?
Biting occurred mostly in the tangible condition, where each bite briefly brought back the magazine, which suggests access to tangible items. Automatic reinforcement is tempting for a self-directed behavior like biting, but automatically maintained behavior would usually persist across conditions, including the alone condition, where rates were low here. The RBT records the data, and the BCBA interprets the full analysis.

9. Theo, 6, is learning to follow group instructions in his first-grade class. The RBT is measuring latency to the instruction "Line up." The plan defines the response as Theo standing up from his desk. When should the RBT stop the timer?
Latency is the time from the onset of an instruction or other stimulus to the start of the response. Here the defined response is standing up, so the timer stops as soon as Theo begins to stand. Stopping when he reaches the line adds his walking time, so the number no longer measures how quickly he started responding.

10. The plan for Ines, 4, says to give a small piece of cracker for each correct imitation. The RBT has been writing data first and handing over the cracker about 20 seconds after each correct response. Which change best fits the plan's reinforcement procedure?
Reinforcement works best when it follows the response immediately, so the RBT should deliver the cracker first and record data afterward. A 20-second gap lets other behaviors occur in between, and those may be reinforced instead. Giving two pieces changes magnitude, not timing, so the delay remains. Moving to every third response changes the schedule, which the plan did not call for.

11. Mina, an RBT, has only worked with preschoolers in a clinic. Her agency assigns her to start Monday at an adult day program serving clients with brain injuries, a population she has had no training with. What should Mina do?
The RBT Ethics Code says RBTs do not provide services to unfamiliar client populations unless they have received proper training, and that they immediately inform their supervisor when asked to work beyond their competence. Reading online on her own is tempting, but self-study is not the training and supervisor-confirmed competence the Code requires. Learning on the job means serving clients before she is competent.

12. At the end of a clinic session, Nadia's grandfather says he would like to use the clinic's token board at home and asks the RBT to show him how it works so he can start this weekend. What should the RBT do?
A caregiver's suggestion about extending a procedure to home goes to the supervisor promptly, since caregiver training and plan changes are directed by the supervisor. Teaching him the steps right away is tempting because his involvement could help, but it would add a home component the supervisor has not planned. Handing over materials does the same, and a quarterly meeting is not a timely way to pass it on.

13. The behavior plan for Kenji, 8, whose yelling is maintained by adult attention, calls for noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) on a fixed-time 2-minute schedule. Which RBT action matches this procedure?
NCR delivers the reinforcer on a time-based schedule, independent of behavior, so Kenji gets attention every 2 minutes whatever he is doing. This reduces his motivation to yell for attention. Giving attention only after 2 minutes with no yelling is tempting, but that makes attention depend on the absence of yelling, which is DRO, not NCR.

14. Leo, 3, does not yet respond to praise. His plan tells the RBT to say "Nice!" just before handing him a bubble wand each time he follows a simple direction. What is the main purpose of this step?
Pairing a neutral stimulus (praise) with an established reinforcer (bubbles), with praise coming just before, is how praise becomes a conditioned reinforcer. Later, praise alone can strengthen behavior. Bubbles cannot be turned into an unconditioned reinforcer, because unconditioned reinforcers need no learning history at all. Requesting by name is a mand target, and this procedure never requires Leo to say anything.

15. An RBT uses 2-minute momentary time sampling to record on-task behavior for Yara, 8. Between the 4-minute and 6-minute signals, Yara wanders the room for most of the time. She sits down and starts writing 2 seconds before the 6-minute signal and is writing when it sounds. How should the RBT score the 6-minute check?
Momentary time sampling scores only what the client is doing at the exact moment the interval ends. Yara was writing when the signal sounded, so the check is scored on-task. Requiring the whole interval is the rule for whole-interval recording, not this method. Missing what happens between checks is a known limit of momentary time sampling, not a reason to change the score.

16. In a paired-stimulus preference assessment, Ben, 7, is shown five items. Each item is paired once with every other item, for 10 trials, so each item appears in 4 trials. Ben chooses play dough on 2 of the trials in which it appears. What selection percentage should the RBT record for play dough?
Selection percentage is the number of times an item was chosen divided by the number of trials in which it was offered. Play dough appeared in 4 trials and was chosen in 2: 2 / 4 = 50%. Dividing by all 10 trials gives 20%, but play dough was not available on 6 of those trials, so that figure understates Ben's preference.

17. An RBT paired a hand stamp with turns on the swing for Maya, 6, and the stamps worked well. For the past two weeks the swing has been broken, so Maya gets stamps with no swing time. Now stamps no longer increase her responding. What best explains this?
A conditioned reinforcer keeps its value only while it continues to be paired with other reinforcers. With the swing broken, the stamp has been delivered alone, so its value weakened. Satiation is tempting, but Maya has had no swing time for two weeks, which would make the swing more valuable, not less. Immediate delivery strengthens reinforcement rather than weakening it.

18. Carlos, an RBT, provides 140 hours of behavior-technician services in March. Under the RBT Handbook, what is the minimum supervision he must receive that month?
Supervision must be at least 5% of service hours each calendar month: 140 times 0.05 = 7 hours. The Handbook also requires at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts per month and says supervision may not occur over the phone or by email. Fourteen hours would be 10%, more than the minimum. Five hours and a single contact both fall short of the requirements.

19. Leila, 12, often refuses when asked to put her shoes on before community outings. Her plan calls for a high-probability request sequence before that request. Which sequence carries out the procedure correctly?
A high-probability request sequence presents several requests the client reliably follows, reinforces each, and then gives the low-probability request immediately, while momentum is high. Adding a 10-minute break is the tempting error: the delay breaks the momentum the easy requests built. Giving easy requests after refusal could also reinforce refusing, because the hard request is replaced with easy ones.

20. The speech-language pathologist who works with Caleb, 6, emails the RBT. She is concerned that the picture cards used in ABA sessions conflict with the speech device she is teaching him to use. What should the RBT do?
Concerns from other service providers should reach the supervisor in a timely manner so the professionals can coordinate. Switching to the device right away is tempting because consistency matters, but changing a communication system is a supervisor decision. Holding the email until a meeting weeks away delays coordination, and debating methods with the therapist is outside the RBT's role.

21. Using partial-interval recording with 10-second intervals, an RBT tracks hand-flapping for Jonah, 4, during play at home. In one interval, Jonah flaps his hands four separate times. How should the RBT record that interval?
Partial-interval recording notes whether the behavior occurred at any point in the interval, not how many times. Four flaps in one interval are scored the same as one flap: a single mark. Writing the number 4 turns the sheet into a frequency count, which this method does not produce. Requiring all 10 seconds would be the rule for whole-interval recording.

22. During discrete-trial teaching at a clinic table, the RBT is about to say "Touch the apple" to Kai, 5, but Kai is looking at a toy across the room. What should the RBT do before presenting the instruction?
A discrete trial begins with a clear instruction delivered while the learner is attending, so the RBT first gains Kai's attention using the method in the plan. Saying it louder still presents the instruction while he looks away, so an error could reflect inattention rather than the skill. Scoring an error before any instruction is given would also produce inaccurate data.

23. Rafael, 9, often hits when a preferred item is taken away during trial-based preference assessments. His supervisor asks the RBT to run a free-operant preference assessment instead. How should the RBT conduct it?
In a free-operant preference assessment, all items stay freely available and the RBT records how long the client engages with each one. Nothing is withdrawn, which is why it suits a client whose problem behavior follows item removal. Removing each item Rafael picks up describes a without-replacement procedure, which brings back item removal, the very trigger for Rafael's hitting that the supervisor wanted to avoid.

24. Ravi, 10, hit the table during writing work, so his BCBA temporarily removed writing demands. The plan now reintroduces writing through demand fading, starting with tracing one letter per session. Ravi has met the plan's criterion at one letter. What should the RBT do next?
Demand fading reintroduces demands gradually. Once Ravi meets the criterion at one step, the RBT moves to the next small step written in the plan. Jumping back to the full worksheet is tempting because he is doing well, but a large jump in demands can bring the hitting back. Replacing writing with drawing changes the plan, which is the supervisor's decision.

25. Desmond, an RBT, wants to offer ABA services to families on his own. He plans to hire a BCBA friend as his part-time employee to supervise him. How does this plan fit the RBT Ethics Code?
Standard 1.04 states that RBTs are never employers of their supervisor, so hiring the BCBA to supervise him is not allowed, even if the BCBA is qualified and the 5% amount is met. The supervisor's qualifications are tempting to focus on, but they do not fix the employment problem. No rule requires the supervisor to work for a clinic, so that option misses the real problem.

26. An RBT says "Clap hands" to Nora, 4. When Nora does not respond within 3 seconds, the RBT says "Clap hands, Nora, clap, clap hands!" several more times. Which discrete-trial practice did the RBT miss?
In discrete-trial teaching the instruction is given once, clearly, and a nonresponse is followed by the prompting or correction step in the plan. Repeating it can teach Nora to wait for several repetitions before responding. Varying the wording across trials can help generalization later, but it does not fix the repeated instruction within this trial. The intertrial pause comes after the consequence, so it is not the issue.

27. The supervisor asks an RBT to use permanent product recording to count the pencil marks Emil, 9, draws on his desk each school day. On Monday the desk already has marks from last week. What should the RBT do so that the count reflects only each day's behavior?
Permanent product recording measures the lasting result of behavior, so the RBT must be able to tell which products came from the observation period. Starting each day with a clean or photographed desk separates new marks from old ones. Counting every mark at the end of the day would add last week's marks to Monday's total and inflate the data.

28. While entering data, an RBT notices that a coworker who observed the same sessions with Bodhi, 7, this week recorded zero tantrums in each session, while the RBT recorded 8 to 12 tantrums per session. Both use the same definition. What should the RBT do?
Large differences between observers are a data irregularity, and the RBT seeks the supervisor's direction promptly, since clinical decisions rest on reliable data. Averaging the two sets is tempting because it seems fair, but it hides the problem and produces numbers that describe no actual session. Asking the coworker to change her data would make the record inaccurate.

29. Rosa, 5, is learning to name colors. Her plan calls for natural environment teaching during snack time at her kindergarten. Which action fits this approach?
Natural environment teaching embeds learning in the learner's ongoing activities and uses reinforcers tied to the response, so naming the color gets Rosa the cup she asked for. Flashcard trials at a side table are structured, adult-led teaching, which is closer to discrete-trial teaching. Naming colors for her provides a model, but it never asks Rosa to respond, so no learning opportunity occurs.

30. Ama's plan uses a resetting DRO with 3-minute intervals: she earns a token at the end of any 3 minutes with no spitting, and if spitting occurs, the timer restarts. Two minutes into an interval, Ama spits. What should the RBT do?
In a resetting DRO, any occurrence of the target behavior restarts the interval, so the RBT resets the timer to a full 3 minutes and withholds the token. Delivering the token at the original 3-minute mark is the tempting mistake: it would reinforce an interval that contained spitting, which weakens the contingency. Pausing the timer is not what the plan specifies.

31. Isla's supervisor started a new token system on Monday. The RBT adds Monday's data to Isla's daily line graph, which already shows two weeks of baseline. Following standard graphing conventions, how should Monday's data point appear?
When a condition changes, a vertical phase change line is drawn between the last baseline point and the first intervention point, and the data path is not connected across that line. This lets the supervisor compare the two phases. Connecting Friday to Monday would blend baseline and intervention into one path and hide where the change began.

32. In October, Rae's supervisor met with her one-on-one twice by live video call. Both meetings were discussions of data and goals, and the supervisor did not watch her work with a client. Which supervision requirement was not met?
The Handbook requires at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts each month, and the supervisor must observe the RBT providing services in at least one of them. Rae had two real-time contacts, but neither included observation. In-person observation is preferred, but video conferencing is allowed, so the video format alone was not the problem. A small-group meeting is permitted but not required.

33. Omar, 8, is working on asking for help. His plan uses incidental teaching. Which setup best fits this method?
Incidental teaching relies on the learner initiating. Putting a wanted item in sight but out of reach creates motivation, and when Omar approaches the jar, the RBT can prompt "help" and open it as the natural reinforcer. Prompting on a timer during play is adult-initiated, so it is not incidental teaching. Opening the jar whenever he looks removes his reason to ask.

34. A BCBA is conducting a curriculum-based skills assessment with Sofia, 4, and asks the RBT to assist. Which task is within the RBT's role?
RBTs assist with skill assessments by preparing materials, presenting items as the supervisor directs, collecting data, and helping summarize it. Choosing treatment goals from the results is a clinical decision that belongs to the supervisor. Explaining scores to parents is also clinical interpretation, and skipping items would leave gaps in the data that the supervisor does not know about.

35. Mateo, 9, asks "Is it time to go?" many times each session. His plan uses a full-session DRL: he earns computer time if he asks 4 or fewer times in the 30-minute session. Today he asked 3 times in the first 10 minutes and 2 times in the last 20 minutes. What is the outcome?
Full-session DRL compares the total count for the session to the limit. Mateo asked 3 + 2 = 5 times, and 5 is above the limit of 4, so he does not earn computer time today. Looking at each part separately is the tempting error, because the plan sets one limit for the whole 30 minutes. DRL allows some asking, so a single question does not break the rule.

36. An RBT's supervising BCBA is on leave for two weeks, and the agency has named Dr. Okafor, another BCBA, as the covering supervisor. The RBT is unsure whether Lucas, 6, is ready to move to a less intrusive prompt. Whom should the RBT ask?
Following the chain of command means taking clinical questions to the supervisor the agency has assigned, which during the leave is the covering BCBA. Waiting for the usual supervisor to return is tempting out of loyalty, but it delays a timely clinical decision for two weeks. A senior RBT or a parent cannot provide clinical direction on prompting decisions.

37. Zoe's hand-washing task analysis has six steps. Using backward chaining, the RBT has prompted steps 1 to 5 while Zoe, 6, completes step 6 (drying her hands) on her own. Zoe has now met mastery for step 6. What should the RBT do next?
Backward chaining teaches the last step first, then adds the step before it once the current step is mastered. With step 6 mastered, Zoe now does steps 5 and 6 while the RBT prompts the rest. Having her do step 1 alone describes forward chaining. Attempting all six steps on every trial is total task chaining, a different procedure from the one in the plan.

38. Ezra's teacher, who is part of his school team, emails the RBT for an update on his hand-raising goal. The RBT's draft reply also mentions his parents' divorce and a recent medication change. Under the RBT Ethics Code, what should the RBT do?
The Code says RBTs discuss confidential client information only under their supervisor's direction and share only necessary client information in job-related communications. Family and medication details are not needed for a hand-raising update. Team membership is a tempting reason to share everything, but it does not make unrelated details necessary. A phone call still discloses the same details, just without a record.

39. Sam, 7, was home sick on Wednesday, so no session took place. The RBT is updating Sam's daily line graph of correct responses for the week. What should the RBT enter for Wednesday?
A data point should show behavior that was actually measured. No session took place, so there is nothing to plot, and the absence is noted. A zero is tempting, but it claims Sam had chances to respond and got none correct, which makes his progress look worse than it is. Averaging or copying values would invent data that were never collected.

40. Hana, 5, grabs crackers from classmates' plates. In her FCT plan, when Hana looks toward a classmate's snack, the RBT prompts her to hand over a "snack, please" card, and each exchange earns a few crackers right away. Grabbing no longer gets crackers. What is the main purpose of the card exchange?
Functional communication training teaches an appropriate communication response that produces the same reinforcer that maintained the problem behavior, here crackers. The card exchange replaces grabbing as the way to get them. Reinforcing intervals without grabbing is tempting, but that describes DRO, which reinforces the absence of a behavior rather than teaching a specific communication response.

41. The plan uses forward chaining to teach Joel, 10, to put on his jacket before community outings, a five-step task. He is working on step 1, picking up the jacket by the collar. On this trial, he completes step 1 without help. What should the RBT do?
In forward chaining, steps are taught in their natural order, and reinforcement is delivered when the learner meets the criterion for the step currently being taught. Joel is working on step 1, so completing it earns reinforcement. Holding reinforcement until he does all five steps alone would withhold it for the very skill he is learning. Reinforcing the last step describes backward chaining.

42. Dmitri, 11, attends a social skills group at a clinic. Several staff have described his aggression in different ways in their notes. Which description of Dmitri's aggression is stated in observable and measurable terms?
An observable and measurable definition names actions that two observers can see and count the same way. Hitting, kicking, or shoving with a hand or foot meets that standard. Losing control of his temper sounds specific, but it describes an inner state that each observer would judge differently, so data from different staff could not be compared.

43. During a social skills assessment, the supervisor asks the RBT to play a peer in a role-play where Amara, 12, must join an ongoing conversation. Amara pauses for several seconds before speaking. What should the RBT do?
An assessment measures what the client can currently do, so the RBT follows the script consistently and records Amara's actual responses, including the pause. Whispering a line to her is a prompt, which would make the data show a skill she may not yet have. Teaching during the assessment has the same problem, and changing the plan is a decision for the supervisor.

44. An RBT was trained on a new matching program last month but is now unsure whether to deliver reinforcement after prompted correct responses. She has run the program for three sessions using her best guess. What should she do?
Uncertainty about how to implement a procedure is a training need, and the RBT seeks direction from the supervisor in a timely manner. Mentioning the past sessions matters because those data may reflect a different procedure. Continuing with her guess until the next visit is tempting, but it risks more sessions of inconsistent teaching. Stopping silently also leaves the supervisor uninformed.

45. While running a receptive picture program with Talia, 5, the RBT realizes she placed the target card in the middle of the three-card array on most trials. Talia's accuracy has been very high. What is the main concern?
In discrimination training, the target should change position across trials so the picture, not its location, controls the response. If the target was usually in the middle, Talia may have learned to pick the middle card, so high accuracy may not reflect the skill. Worrying that the task is too easy is tempting, but that assumes the accuracy reflects the skill, and the placement error means it may not. The RBT should report this to the supervisor.

46. The BCBA's assessment shows that Darnell, 11, tears his worksheets to get out of math work. His plan uses escape extinction: the math task stays in place after tearing. During today's session, Darnell tears a worksheet. Which RBT response follows the plan?
For escape-maintained behavior, extinction means the behavior no longer ends the demand, so the RBT presents a new copy and continues. Ignoring him while switching to a preferred activity is tempting because ignoring sounds like extinction, but it removes the math task, and escaping that task is the reinforcer that maintains tearing. A break or hallway time would also let him escape.

47. An RBT is writing a session note about the setting in which Nia, 5, began crying during a clinic session. Which sentence describes the environment in observable terms?
Observable descriptions of the environment state what was present or happening, such as who was there, what they were doing, and how close they were. Two peers playing drums 3 feet away is something anyone in the room could confirm. Calling the room too stimulating is an interpretation; it does not tell the supervisor what was actually going on.

48. During a session, Marcus, 15, tells the RBT that he plans to hurt a classmate after school tomorrow and asks her to keep it a secret. What should the RBT do?
Confidentiality has limits. The Code allows RBTs to discuss confidential client information when the law allows it for a valid reason, such as protecting the client or others from harm, and directs RBTs to act through their supervisor and organization policies. Keeping the secret ignores a real risk to the classmate. Calling the family on her own bypasses her supervisor and the agency's procedures.

49. The RBT is teaching Lucia, 9, to say "Excuse me" when someone blocks her path in the school hallway. Saying it when someone is in the way earns praise; saying it when the path is clear does not. Which observation shows she has learned the discrimination?
Discrimination means the response occurs in the presence of the SD (someone blocking her path) and not in the presence of the S-delta (a clear path). Saying it with her teacher shows stimulus generalization across people, which is useful but does not show she tells the two situations apart. Saying "Pardon me" is response generalization, and saying it everywhere shows no discrimination.

50. When Asha's mother drops her off, she mentions that Asha, 7, was moved to a different classroom with a new teacher this week. During today's session, Asha leaves the work area more often than usual. What should the RBT do?
Schedule and routine changes can affect behavior and progress, so the RBT documents the change and reports it to the supervisor in a timely manner. Waiting two weeks to see if it matters is tempting, but the supervisor needs this context while reviewing the data now. Advising the mother about school placement is clinical advice outside the RBT's role.

51. Two proposed plans target swearing by Owen, 15, which is maintained by adult reactions. Under Plan 1, adults no longer react when he swears. Under Plan 2, Owen loses 5 minutes of video-game time each time he swears. Which statement is accurate?
Extinction withholds the reinforcer that has maintained the behavior. Adult reactions maintain Owen's swearing, so withholding them is extinction. Plan 2 removes a different reinforcer, video-game time, after swearing, which is negative punishment (response cost). Calling both extinction is tempting because both aim to reduce swearing, but procedures are defined by what follows the behavior, not by the goal.

52. While assisting with a skills assessment, an RBT sees Silas, 5, complete a 24-piece puzzle on his own but imitate none of 10 simple actions the RBT models. What should the RBT include in the data summary for the supervisor?
Skill assessments identify relevant strengths as well as deficits, and both help the supervisor plan. Completing the puzzle independently is a strength, and 0 of 10 imitations is a deficit, so both belong in the summary. Leaving out strengths because assessments look for deficits gives the supervisor an incomplete picture, and recommending goals is outside the RBT's role.

53. Eli, 7, is learning sight words with a time delay procedure. In the first sessions, the RBT showed each card and said the word right away for Eli to repeat. The plan now calls for a constant 4-second delay. What should the RBT do on each trial?
Time delay starts with a 0-second delay, the prompt given with the instruction, and then inserts a fixed wait before the prompt so Eli can respond on his own first. With a constant 4-second delay, he either reads independently or gets the prompt after 4 seconds. Delaying praise after a correct answer weakens reinforcement and does nothing to fade the prompt.

54. Jalen learns that his RBT certification became inactive this week. His professional networking profile and his work email signature still list him as an RBT. What should he do?
The Code requires RBTs to report a change in certification status to their supervisor within 24 hours of learning about it, and the Handbook says to accurately reflect that status to the public. An inactive RBT may not practice, bill, or represent themselves as an active RBT, so updating the profile while still billing is not enough. Waiting for the monthly meeting misses the 24-hour window.

55. An RBT records elopement for Tariq, 12. On Monday he elopes 12 times in a 30-minute session. On Thursday he elopes 15 times in a 60-minute session. How should the RBT summarize the change?
Rate is count divided by observation time. Monday: 12 divided by 30 = 0.4 per minute. Thursday: 15 divided by 60 = 0.25 per minute, so the rate went down. Comparing the raw counts of 12 and 15 suggests an increase, but the sessions were different lengths, so counts alone cannot be compared fairly.

56. Felix's written plan includes nonexclusionary time-out for throwing toys: he stays at the table, play materials are removed, and time-out ends after 1 minute only if he has been calm for the last 10 seconds. At the 1-minute mark, Felix is still screaming. What should the RBT do?
The plan's release rule requires 10 seconds of calm before time-out ends, so the RBT continues until that condition is met. Ending at exactly 1 minute is tempting because it matches the stated length, but releasing him during screaming could reinforce screaming with the return of play materials. Adding minutes or handing over a toy departs from the written plan.

57. The plan uses most-to-least prompting to teach Aiden, 12, to button his shirt. For several sessions the RBT has used full physical guidance, and Aiden has now met the plan's criterion for moving on. What should the RBT do next?
Most-to-least prompting starts with the most intrusive prompt and fades to less intrusive prompts as the learner meets criteria, so the next step is lighter help such as partial physical guidance. Removing all prompts at once skips the fading steps and may produce errors. Switching to a least-to-most sequence changes the procedure, which is the supervisor's decision, not the RBT's.

58. During a home session, Kofi, 5, touches his right ear repeatedly, cries during tasks he usually enjoys, and refuses snacks. His father says Kofi seemed fine yesterday. What should the RBT do?
Possible illness is a variable that can affect progress, so the RBT records the specific observations and reports them to the supervisor promptly. Writing "Kofi was sick today" is tempting because it seems accurate, but it is a conclusion rather than an observation, and it reports nothing to the supervisor. Telling the father it is an ear infection would be a diagnosis, which is outside the RBT role.

59. During 20 trials of a receptive labeling program, Ruby, 4, responds correctly on her own on 13 trials, correctly after a prompt on 4 trials, and incorrectly on 3 trials. The plan counts only unprompted correct responses as correct. What percentage correct should the RBT record?
Only unprompted correct responses count, so the RBT divides 13 by the 20 total trials: 13 / 20 = 0.65, or 65%. Adding the 4 prompted trials gives 17 / 20 = 85%, which would overstate Ruby's independent skill and could lead the supervisor to think she is closer to mastery than she really is.

60. To teach Iris, 6, to write her name, the RBT gives her a sheet with her name in dark dotted lines to trace. Each week, as the plan directs, the dots are printed lighter, until she writes her name on a blank line. Which procedure is this?
The dotted letters are a stimulus prompt, part of the materials Iris responds to, and making them gradually lighter until they disappear is stimulus fading. Most-to-least response prompting would involve the RBT's own help, such as hand-over-hand guidance, faded to lighter help. Shaping reinforces successive approximations of a response, while here the change is made to the prompt in the materials.

61. Tara's BCBA supervisor offered to rent her a room, and Tara moved in. A few months later, Tara realizes this mix of roles is a multiple relationship. According to the RBT Ethics Code, what should she do?
Standard 1.10 says RBTs avoid multiple relationships, and when one involves their supervisor, they report it to the supervisor's manager or another appropriate entity, such as human resources or the BACB, and document that communication. Telling only the supervisor is tempting, but the supervisor is part of the relationship, so the Code points outside it. An arrangement outside work hours still mixes roles.

62. Wren, 13, sometimes spits during community outings. A coworker suggests the RBT take Wren's music player away for 10 minutes each time he spits, saying it worked for another client. Wren's written plan does not include this. What should the RBT do?
The RBT Ethics Code says RBTs implement restrictive or punishment-based procedures only when they are in a documented behavior-change plan and after the supervisor has verified competence. Removing the music player is a punishment procedure that is not in Wren's plan. Trying it once and reporting afterward is tempting, but it still applies an unapproved procedure. Parent permission does not replace the supervisor's plan.

63. During a descriptive assessment on a grocery store trip, an RBT records ABC data for Rowan, 7. Which entry is written in objective terms?
ABC data should record what was seen and heard, not guesses about feelings or function. The objective entry names the mother's words, the exact behavior, and what the mother did next. Writing that Rowan got what he wanted is tempting, but it is an interpretation of function; the supervisor draws that conclusion from many entries, not the RBT from one.

64. Wei, 8, can label a red plastic cup at the clinic, but his plan's next goal is for him to label any cup he sees. Which set of teaching materials best supports this kind of generalization?
Teaching with many varied examples helps a learner respond to new members of a class, such as cups he has never seen. Using one cup, even across more sessions or with more praise, keeps the label tied to that single item. A bigger, brighter photo of the same cup changes the picture's size but still shows only one example, so it does little for stimulus generalization.

65. At her group home, Grace, 14, is working on staying seated during homework. On Tuesday the RBT times three seated work periods: 6 minutes, 9 minutes, and 3 minutes. The supervisor asks for the total duration and the mean duration per period. What should the RBT report?
Total duration is the sum of all periods: 6 + 9 + 3 = 18 minutes. Mean duration divides that total by the number of periods: 18 / 3 = 6 minutes. Reporting 9 minutes gives the longest single period, not the average, and 3 minutes is the shortest. Dividing by 4 instead of 3 gives 4.5, which miscounts the periods.

66. At pickup, Paolo's father asks how today's session went, and the agency allows RBTs to give caregivers a brief session summary. Paolo, 9, had 3 tantrums during math, each lasting under 2 minutes, and finished 8 of 10 math tasks. Which reply communicates objectively what occurred?
Objective communication states what was observed, with counts where available, so the father hears that there were 3 short tantrums and 8 of 10 tasks completed. Saying he was a bit difficult is tempting because it softens the news, but it is vague and leaves out what happened. Calling him manipulative assigns a motive, and saying there is nothing to report omits the tantrums.

67. Nico, 6, used to get a parent's phone by whining. His plan now places whining on extinction, so whining no longer produces the phone. During the first week, when whining does not work, Nico also cries, stomps his feet, and shouts "You're mean!" Which secondary effect of extinction do these new reactions best illustrate?
Crying, stomping, and angry statements that appear when a reinforcer is suddenly withheld are emotional responding, a common secondary effect of extinction. Resurgence is tempting because problem behavior seems to grow, but resurgence means a previously reduced behavior returns when a newer alternative behavior loses reinforcement. Spontaneous recovery and behavioral contrast do not fit the timing or the single setting described.

68. A client's grandmother brings the RBT a $4 coffee before every session, three times a week, and has done so for several months. The employer has no stricter gift policy. Which statement best fits the RBT Ethics Code?
Standard 1.11 sets a $10 limit per gift, but it also states that ongoing or cumulative gifts may become a violation if they turn into a regularly expected source of value to the recipient. Coffee three times a week for months fits that concern, so the RBT should raise it with the supervisor. Looking only at the price of each coffee misses the cumulative part of the standard.

69. Esme, 11, is learning to use a calm-down card at the clinic when she feels upset. Her plan has the RBT use the same card in clinic sessions and gives a copy to her classroom teacher for use at school. Which generalization strategy is this?
Programming common stimuli means making the generalization setting share features with the teaching setting. The same calm-down card appears in both places, so it can set the occasion for the skill at school. Teaching sufficient exemplars would mean teaching with many different cards or situations, the opposite of keeping one stimulus constant. Stimulus fading removes a prompt over time, and training loosely varies conditions on purpose; neither describes carrying one card into a new setting.

70. Since a new plan began, the RBT has graphed the number of self-injury episodes for Elijah, 10, across six sessions: 14, 12, 13, 9, 8, 6. The goal is to reduce self-injury. How should the RBT describe these data to the supervisor?
Trend is the overall direction of the data path across sessions. Episodes moved from 14 down to 6, so the trend is decreasing, and because the goal is to reduce self-injury, that is the desired direction. One small rise from 12 to 13 is ordinary variability and does not erase a clear downward trend across six sessions.

71. A BCBA is running a functional analysis with Kiara, 6, and assigns the RBT to the attention condition. The RBT sits nearby reading a magazine as instructed. Kiara screams. Following the condition's rules, what should the RBT do?
In the attention condition of a functional analysis, the adult withholds attention until the target behavior occurs and then gives brief attention, such as a short reprimand or statement of concern. This tests whether attention maintains screaming. Giving no reaction is the tempting choice, but it removes the very consequence the condition is designed to test, so the results could not be interpreted.

72. Fatima, 9, met the mastery criterion for telling time to the hour last month. Which program step for that skill is a maintenance procedure?
Maintenance procedures keep a mastered skill going over time, usually through occasional practice or probes with reinforcement delivered less often. Daily teaching with prompts and dense reinforcement describes acquisition, which is for skills still being learned. Telling time to the half hour is a new target, so it is also acquisition. Dropping the skill from data collection gives the team no way to see whether it lasts.

73. Dario's plan includes a response cost for leaving his seat during class. Two weeks in, out-of-seat behavior has decreased, but Dario now hides under a table when his RBT arrives and asks other staff to work with him instead. Which response best fits?
Avoiding the person or setting associated with punishment is a known secondary effect of punishment, and it can harm the working relationship and the program. The RBT reports it so the supervisor can review the plan. Calling it an extinction burst is tempting, but no maintaining reinforcer is being withheld here; a loss is being applied. Stopping the procedure without direction would change the plan.

74. After submitting a session note, an RBT reviews her data sheet and realizes the note lists 3 instances of aggression, but the data sheet shows 5. What should she do?
RBTs must document accurately, and when they learn they submitted inaccurate information to their supervisor or employer, they contact them to correct it. Using the agency's correction process keeps an honest record. Deleting the note and quietly submitting a new one is tempting because the final count would be right, but it hides the change and may break record-keeping rules.

75. Ms. Patel, clearly frustrated, points out that the RBT has arrived 15 minutes late to the last three home sessions and that her son gets upset while waiting. Which response best shows professional skills?
Listening to the feedback, taking responsibility, and working with the supervisor fits the Code: RBTs are accountable for their actions, and when commitments cannot be met, they work with their supervisor in the client's best interest. Blaming traffic is tempting, but it deflects accountability instead of solving the problem. Ignoring the concern or sending it to the front office leaves the parent unheard and the lateness unaddressed.

76. To build sitting at the table, the plan for Noah, 5, says to reinforce sitting for at least 15 seconds, then raise the requirement to 20 seconds once he meets 15 seconds on 8 of 10 trials. Noah has just met that criterion. What should the RBT do next?
Shaping reinforces successive approximations: once Noah meets the current step, reinforcement shifts to the next closer approximation, sitting for 20 seconds, and shorter sits are no longer reinforced. Continuing to reinforce 15-second sits after he met the criterion keeps him at the old step and slows progress. Reinforcing 5-second sits moves backward, and jumping to 30 seconds skips the plan's next step.

77. Across seven sessions, the RBT records the number of words Amina, 6, reads correctly: 4, 15, 5, 16, 4, 15, 5. Which description of the graphed data should the RBT give the supervisor?
The data jump between about 4 and 16 from one session to the next, which is high variability. The first three sessions (4, 15, 5) and the last three (4, 15, 5) match, so the data path is not moving up or down overall: there is no clear trend. A stable low level would require the points to stay close together.

78. During a home session, Benji, 14, begins hitting his head hard against a wall. His written crisis plan lists this as a crisis behavior and spells out safety steps, such as placing a cushion between his head and the wall and calling his parent into the room. What should the RBT do?
In a crisis, the RBT follows the written crisis plan, which already carries the supervisor's direction, so the safety steps start right away. Calling the supervisor and waiting is tempting because RBTs seek direction, but waiting leaves Benji at risk of serious injury when the plan already says what to do. Ignoring is not a crisis response, and documentation comes after everyone is safe.

79. An RBT works with Hugo, 7, on several goals. Which of these procedures uses shaping rather than chaining?
Shaping reinforces successive approximations of a single behavior, here handwriting that gets more accurate over time, while earlier, rougher attempts stop earning reinforcement. Chaining links a series of different steps into one sequence. Teaching tooth-brushing steps in order is forward chaining, starting the sandwich with the last step is backward chaining, and doing every hand-washing step each trial is total task chaining.

80. An RBT is collecting descriptive assessment data in the classroom of Ethan, 7. Today a substitute is teaching, and recess has been replaced by an indoor assembly. What should the RBT do with this information?
When assisting with functional assessments, RBTs document environmental variables that may influence results, such as a different teacher or a changed schedule. Noting both lets the supervisor interpret the data accurately. Discarding the session is tempting because the day was unusual, but deciding which data to exclude is the supervisor's call. Deciding what caused the behavior is also the supervisor's conclusion.

81. During a home session, Marisol, 8, hits the RBT twice. Afterward, Marisol's mother asks the RBT to leave the hits out of the session note because she does not want them in Marisol's record. What should the RBT do?
RBTs accurately complete all required documentation, so the hits are recorded objectively, and the RBT lets the supervisor know about the request. Leaving them out while telling the supervisor verbally is tempting because the supervisor still learns about it, but the written record would be inaccurate. Describing hits as rough play misrepresents what happened, and guardianship does not permit changing records.

82. An RBT notices she has not given the Hale family the home practice sheet that her other families get. She realizes she assumed they would not use it because they live in a small, crowded apartment. What should she do?
Standard 1.07 asks RBTs to evaluate their own biases and work with their supervisor on cultural responsiveness, and 1.08 requires equitable treatment regardless of socioeconomic status. Holding back the sheet because of an assumption about the home is unequal treatment. Handing the family to another RBT avoids the issue without examining the bias, which the Code asks her to address with supervisor support.

83. Samir's plan calls for a token after every third correct response. For two weeks, his RBT has been giving a token after every correct response, and Samir's data show steady gains. What is the main risk of this error?
Poor procedural fidelity means the data reflect a different procedure from the one written. Reading the graph, the supervisor would assume the every-third-response schedule produced the gains and could make decisions based on false information. Baseline data from last month are not the problem: they were collected before the error began, so they still describe Samir's behavior accurately.

84. During a clinic session, Anaya, 10, bites another child hard enough to break the skin. The RBT follows Anaya's crisis plan, and both children are now safe and with staff. What should the RBT do next?
After a crisis, the RBT promptly informs the supervisor and documents the incident according to workplace procedures, since an injury needs timely review. Waiting until next week's supervision is tempting if the situation seems settled, but the delay leaves the supervisor unable to respond. Changing the plan is the supervisor's role, and an end-of-week email is still too late after an injury.

85. Gabe, 8, earns tokens in clinic sessions to trade for tablet time. His mother mentions that he now has unlimited tablet use at home every afternoon, and since then he works less for tokens in his after-school sessions. Which explanation is most likely?
Tokens are conditioned reinforcers whose value comes from what they can buy. With unlimited tablet time at home, the tablet is worth less during sessions, so the tokens lose power too. A small exchange requirement makes the backup reinforcer easier to earn, which would not explain less effort. The RBT should report the mother's comment and the data to the supervisor, who decides on changes.