RBT Practice Exam 1 – Foundation Assessment (Updated For 2026)

1. A teacher asks the RBT to try a different token system. The RBT says she must check with the supervisor first. What principle is the RBT following?

2. Which chaining method is most efficient when a learner can already perform many middle steps but struggles with both start and finish?

3. A skill is maintained at 100 percent for two weeks. What change to reinforcement best promotes durable maintenance?

4. While working with a client who begins to self-injure aggressively, RBT Lila follows the emergency protocol and uses a protective mat to block injury. What type of response is this?

5. RBT Ethan posts a photo on social media of a craft project completed with his client, showing only the materials used. No identifying information is visible. Is this ethical?

6. RBT Ava notices her client isn’t feeling well and offers to end the session early. What ethical value is Ava demonstrating?

7. A BCBA plans to teach shoe tying and asks the RBT to select a tool that pinpoints which component steps the learner can already perform. Which assessment should the RBT recommend?

8. RBT Neil writes, “Client was distracted due to fire drill,” in his session notes. What reporting task is this?

9. What is the goal of extinction?

10. RBT Sean notices his client flaps his hands frequently when alone and not interacting with others. The behavior does not appear to produce social or tangible outcomes. What is the likely function?

11. RBT Damien reinforces progressively closer approximations to pronouncing “elephant,” starting with “el.” Over sessions, he only reinforces clearer pronunciations until the full word emerges. Which procedure is he using?

12. Which statement best describes the purpose of a functional behavior assessment?

13. During a functional interview, RBT Sofia asks the teacher, “What usually happens right after Jamie hits his desk?” Which functional assessment component is Sofia gathering?

14. When Kevin interrupts class less than three times in 30 minutes, RBT Maya gives him a sticker. What kind of reinforcement procedure is this?

15. After mastering greeting teachers at school, RBT Marco arranges brief visits to the library so the learner practices saying hello to librarians. What generalization programming tactic is Marco using?

16. During discrete-trial instruction, RBT Isabel presents the SD “touch apple,” waits two seconds, and then gently guides the child’s hand to the picture. What procedure is she using?

17. During play, RBT Caleb provides praise and access to preferred toys only when Mia plays nicely, ignoring aggressive behaviors. What type of differential reinforcement is this?

18. When teaching letter sounds, RBT Jade gradually reduces the volume of her model after each correct response until the learner says the sound independently. Which prompting strategy is this?

19. Why must RBTs follow supervisor guidance for behavior plans?

20. RBT Hailey schedules weekly booster sessions after a skill is mastered to ensure the client continues performing it months later. Which concept does this illustrate?

21. RBT Ella writes, “Liam kicked the table with his right foot three times, producing a loud bang,” instead of “Liam was disruptive.” Which key measurement principle is Ella demonstrating?

22. When Elijah yells to get attention, RBT Zoe continues the activity without reacting. Over time, yelling decreases. Which behavior strategy is Zoe using?

23. Which statement correctly defines a “variable trend” on a behavior graph?

24. A parent tells the RBT that the client hasn’t been sleeping. What should the RBT do?

25. Which behavior should the RBT report to the supervisor?

26. A supervising BCBA asks which discontinuous recording method minimizes observer effort yet still estimates behavior occurrence. Which should the RBT suggest?

27. Which statement accurately defines a conditioned reinforcer?

28. To teach handwashing, RBT Priya first helps Leo turn on the faucet, then adds soap in the next session, and continues until Leo completes all steps independently. Which chaining method is Priya using?

29. RBT Jamie observes that whenever his client, Ava, is given a difficult writing assignment, she begins to cry and leaves the table. This behavior consistently results in her being allowed to skip the task. Based on this, what function is most likely maintaining Ava’s behavior?

30. RBT Nora tells a student that if they throw items again, they’ll lose 5 minutes of free time. After throwing, the time is taken away. What procedure is being used?

31. RBT Jackson is assigned to implement a PECS program but has never used the system before. Instead of guessing, he tells the BCBA he needs training first. What principle is Jackson following?

32. During a 15-minute reading block, RBT Omar records that Sophia read aloud for 450 seconds. He divides 450 seconds by 900 seconds to report that Sophia engaged in reading 50 percent of the time. Which calculation did Omar perform?

33. During a morning math lesson, RBT Mia taps a handheld tally counter every time Elijah independently completes a multiplication fact and writes the total in his data sheet when the timer rings after ten minutes. What type of measurement is Mia using to record Elijah’s behavior?

34. During recess, RBT Carlos checks whether Ava is talking out of turn during the first five seconds of each 30-second interval and marks a plus for yes or a minus for no. Which discontinuous measurement system is Carlos using?

35. What should an RBT do if a client shows emotional distress when extinction is first implemented?

36. When fading a gestural prompt, which next step best supports prompt independence?

37. An RBT has counts of behavior across five equal-length sessions: 6, 4, 5, 5, and 10. Which summary statistic best represents the typical level of behavior?

38. To reduce shouting during group instruction, RBT Lily allows extra break time for students who sit quietly. This strategy increases appropriate behavior and reduces shouting. What type of intervention is this?

39. RBT Noah enters Jamal’s daily aggression totals into a spreadsheet that automatically updates a line graph shared with the supervising BCBA. Which task is Noah completing?

40. What is the primary reason to document session data objectively?

41. Which is an example of positive punishment?

42. RBT Olivia awards stars for completed worksheets; ten stars buy extra recess. By pairing stars with recess, she is implementing what system?

43. RBT Victor pairs the sound of a clicker with delivery of chocolate chips so that, over time, the learner smiles when hearing the click alone. What has the clicker become?

44. At the end of each art period, RBT Layla counts how many paintbrushes Ethan cleaned, using that total as evidence Ethan followed directions. What measurement method has Layla chosen?

45. RBT Dante administers the VB-MAPP echoic subtest by saying words and recording whether child Ava repeats them accurately. Which type of assessment is Dante participating in?

46. Which component is essential in a token economy?

47. After plotting two weeks of data, RBT Grace notices the slope of the line showing Jayden’s correct responses rises steadily session after session. What trend has Grace identified?

48. Given a behavior that occurs very rapidly and is difficult to time precisely, which continuous measurement dimension should an RBT recommend to capture each instance most accurately?

49. RBT Zara forgets to start her timer during duration recording and later fills in estimates from memory, causing the BCBA to recommend schedule changes. What risk does this illustrate?

50. After implementing extinction for tantrums, RBT James notices that the frequency and intensity of tantrums increase for a few days. What is this called?

51. During a check-in, RBT Leo provides accurate data and asks thoughtful questions about implementation challenges. What is Leo demonstrating?

52. Which antecedent strategy is most appropriate for preventing escape-maintained behavior during academic tasks?

53. A new client’s family speaks limited English. What should the RBT do to practice cultural humility?

54. A student completes an average of three math problems between reinforcers, but engagement drops over time. Which schedule change could most effectively increase response consistency without lowering motivation?

55. RBT Rachel begins babysitting for her client’s family outside of therapy hours. What ethical concern does this raise?

56. RBT Kevin rotates three toys while noting which one Maya reaches for first, then gives her the chosen toy for 30 seconds before the next trial. What type of preference assessment is Kevin using?

57. The client’s parents offer RBT Arjun a holiday gift card. He politely declines and explains company policy. What guideline is Arjun following?

58. RBT Alex writes “Client was annoying today” in a session note. What documentation issue does this reflect?

59. RBT Nora delivers a token each time Malik greets a peer, exchanging five tokens for computer time every afternoon. By varying the number of greetings needed before reinforcement, Nora is implementing which schedule?

60. Which of the following is a core ethical principle for RBTs?

61. A family member of a client asks RBT Maya about modifying the behavior plan. Maya responds, “You’ll need to speak with the supervising BCBA.” What standard is Maya upholding?

62. If a learner makes frequent errors during discrete-trial teaching, which tactic should the RBT implement first?

63. Which option is an example of permanent-product data?

64. Which is the best action when a client shows signs of severe aggression not previously observed?

65. Which of the following is an example of objective documentation?

66. During center time, RBT Helena quietly observes which activities four-year-old Lucas spends the most and least time on without interrupting him. Which preference assessment method is she using?

67. RBT Adam places one red and one blue card on the table, saying “touch red,” and reinforces only when the learner selects red. He repeats until red is chosen reliably, then reverses the colors. What is Adam working on?

68. RBT Olivia stores client records on a personal cloud storage app. The BCBA tells her this violates HIPAA. What is Olivia failing to do?

69. RBT Liam observes that Devon’s self-injury occurs most when tasks are difficult and consistently results in teacher attention. He shares these findings so the BCBA can design an FA. This role exemplifies what functional assessment participation?

70. RBT Maria notices that her client has been unusually quiet and withdrawn all session. She writes this down and informs the supervisor. What is Maria doing?

71. In discrimination training, what is the stimulus that evokes the desired response called?

72. On a playground, RBT Felix embeds mand practice by waiting for Sarah to move toward the swing and then prompting her to say “push please” before pushing her. Which teaching strategy is this?

73. If an RBT needs a quick method to identify a hierarchy of highly preferred items for a learner with limited attending skills, which assessment is most efficient?

74. Which action demonstrates strong professional and interpersonal skills by an RBT?

75. RBT Sara notes “Client completed 4/5 requests and followed directions calmly.” This note is: