By Free RBT Practice Test Editorial Team | Updated October 2026
The Question
A learner becomes visibly upset during DTT, sighing and turning away from the materials. What should the RBT do?
A. Continue running trials until the session ends
B. Stop the session and move on to the next client
C. Document the affect, complete the trial calmly, and communicate with the supervisor
D. Change the prompting procedure to something less aversive
The Answer: C
C is the one. You stay calm, finish the trial you’re in, write down what you saw, and tell your supervisor. That keeps you inside your role: you run the plan, and your supervisor decides whether the plan changes.
The clue is in the stem. Sighing and turning away are signs the learner may be pulling back their assent, and that’s important information. But the question asks what you should do. Not what the program should become.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
- A. Continue running trials until the session ends. Pushing through every remaining trial ignores clear signs of distress. It can also turn the materials into something the learner just wants to escape. Not great for learning, or for trust.
- B. Stop the session and move on to the next client. Walking out is an overreaction, and cancelling sessions isn’t your call. Plus, ending things right after the upset behavior can teach the learner that sighing and turning away gets them out of work.
- D. Change the prompting procedure to something less aversive. Tempting, because it sounds kind. But changing a procedure is a clinical decision. Section 2.02 of the RBT Ethics Code (2.0) says RBTs follow their supervisor’s direction and implement services accurately. You can suggest a change. You don’t make it.
What This Looks Like in a Real Session
- Stay calm and neutral, and finish the current trial the way the plan says.
- Write down what you saw in objective terms, for example “sighed three times and turned away from the table during trials 4 to 6”. Not “was frustrated”.
- Check the plan for anything it says about breaks or signs of distress, and follow it.
- Tell your supervisor promptly, ideally the same day.
- Let your supervisor decide whether the prompts, materials or reinforcers need to change.
Which Exam Tasks This Tests
This question pulls from two areas of the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd Edition): C.3, implementing discrete-trial teaching, and E.2, seeking clinical direction from your supervisor. E.4 sneaks in too, because your note has to be objective.
Practice Variation
During a matching program, a learner starts pushing the cards off the table after every trial. Your BCBA isn’t on site. What now?
Same logic. Follow the plan, record exactly what happened, and contact your supervisor. Don’t invent a new procedure on the spot, even a gentle one.
Final Thoughts
Lots of RBT exam questions work just like this one. Three options sound like action; only one keeps you inside your role. Want more practice? Try the free Behavior Acquisition quiz, or work through another worked exam question on prompt dependency. Keep going. You’ve got this!
