ABA Behavioral Evaluation & Data Collection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCBA records the number of times a student raises her hand during a 30-minute class. Which measurement dimension is being captured?
- Duration
- Latency
- Frequency (count) (Correct answer)
- Intensity
Correct answer: Frequency (count)
Frequency (count) records the total number of discrete occurrences of a behavior within an observation period.
Question 2: When a behavior analyst calculates IOA for event recording, the most common formula is:
- Smaller count ÷ larger count × 100 (Correct answer)
- Agreements ÷ (agreements + disagreements) × 100
- Total intervals agreed ÷ total intervals × 100
- Observer 1 count − Observer 2 count
Correct answer: Smaller count ÷ larger count × 100
For event recording, IOA is calculated by dividing the smaller count by the larger count and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage.
Question 3: Which data display format is most useful for visualizing trends and changes in behavior over time in ABA practice?
- Bar graph
- Pie chart
- Line graph (Correct answer)
- Histogram
Correct answer: Line graph
Line graphs are the standard display in ABA because they clearly show trends, level changes, and variability over sequential time points.
Question 4: An FBA reveals that a child's elopement is maintained by escape from academic tasks. The BCBA should next:
- Conduct a preference assessment to find reinforcers
- Design a competing behavior pathway and intervention (Correct answer)
- Administer a standardized adaptive behavior scale
- Perform another descriptive observation to confirm
Correct answer: Design a competing behavior pathway and intervention
After identifying the function through FBA, the BCBA develops a behavior intervention plan based on a competing behavior pathway targeting that function.
Question 5: Whole interval recording is likely to underestimate the true prevalence of a behavior when:
- The behavior occurs throughout every interval
- The behavior is brief and does not fill entire intervals (Correct answer)
- The interval length is very short
- Two observers are collecting data simultaneously
Correct answer: The behavior is brief and does not fill entire intervals
Whole interval recording only scores an interval as positive if the behavior persists for the entire interval, underestimating behaviors that occur briefly.
Question 6: A BCBA graphs data using a standard celeration chart. A 'celeration' of ×2 per week means:
- The behavior doubled over one week (Correct answer)
- The behavior increased by 2 instances per week
- The behavior decelerated at a rate of 2
- The behavior was divided in half each week
Correct answer: The behavior doubled over one week
A celeration of ×2 indicates the behavior rate doubled each week, reflecting multiplicative change on the standard celeration chart.
Question 7: Which assessment method involves briefly exposing an individual to multiple stimuli simultaneously and recording which items are chosen most often?
- Single stimulus (AS) preference assessment
- Paired stimulus (PS) preference assessment
- Multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) (Correct answer)
- Free operant preference observation
Correct answer: Multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO)
MSWO presents all stimuli simultaneously and removes chosen items after each selection, yielding a preference hierarchy without replacement.
ABA Behavioral Evaluation & Data Collection 3
A BCBA records the number of times a student raises her hand during a 30-minute class.
Which measurement dimension is being captured?