Parent & Caregiver Collaboration Flashcards

A BCBA is working with a single mother who is overwhelmed by stress and reports she cannot consistently implement the behavior plan. The MOST appropriate first step is to:

Answer: Simplify the plan and identify two or three high-priority strategies she can realistically manage

Simplifying the plan to match the caregiver's current capacity increases feasibility and fidelity while maintaining progress toward treatment goals.

During a parent meeting, the BCBA uses highly technical ABA jargon. The parent appears confused but nods along. The BCBA should:

Answer: Simplify language, check for comprehension, and use plain language explanations

BCBAs are ethically obligated to communicate in plain language and verify comprehension to ensure informed caregiver participation.

A caregiver asks why their child's behavior plan includes a 'competing behavior pathway.' The BCBA should explain that it:

Answer: Maps the function of problem behavior and identifies replacement behaviors that serve the same function

A competing behavior pathway illustrates the function of problem behavior and identifies functionally equivalent replacement behaviors for the intervention plan.

Which of the following is the MOST critical factor in determining caregiver training priorities?

Answer: The behaviors and skills that are most functionally significant for the client's daily life

Training priorities should target skills with the highest functional impact on the client's daily life and overall quality of life.

A BCBA teaches a parent to use differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA). In DRA, the parent should:

Answer: Reinforce a specific, pre-selected alternative behavior while withholding reinforcement for the problem behavior

In DRA, reinforcement is delivered contingent on a specific alternative behavior while the reinforcer maintaining problem behavior is withheld.

A caregiver successfully implements strategies during structured sessions but fails to use them during unplanned situations. This BEST exemplifies a failure of:

Answer: Stimulus generalization

Failure to apply learned strategies across varied or unplanned situations indicates a failure of stimulus generalization.

Which of the following represents an appropriate boundary when collaborating with caregivers?

Answer: Maintaining a professional relationship while being warm, respectful, and empathetic

BCBAs must maintain professional boundaries while building a collaborative, empathetic relationship with caregivers to ensure ethical practice.