ABA Parent & Caregiver Collaboration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A parent reports that their child's problem behavior only occurs at home and not at the clinic. What should the BCBA do first?
- Dismiss the concern since behavior is absent in clinic
- Conduct a functional assessment in the home environment (Correct answer)
- Increase session frequency at the clinic
- Implement the same intervention used at the clinic without modification
Correct answer: Conduct a functional assessment in the home environment
Behavior is often setting-specific, so a functional assessment in the home is necessary to understand the variables maintaining the behavior there.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'behavioral skills training' (BST) when teaching caregivers?
- Providing a written manual and asking caregivers to study it
- Instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback delivered in sequence (Correct answer)
- Reviewing video recordings of sessions with caregivers weekly
- Sending home data sheets for caregivers to complete independently
Correct answer: Instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback delivered in sequence
BST consists of four components delivered together: instructions, modeling, rehearsal (practice), and feedback.
Question 3: A BCBA notices that a caregiver consistently provides reinforcement after problem behavior during training. The BEST initial response is to:
- Terminate caregiver involvement in sessions
- Immediately correct the caregiver mid-session using a loud verbal prompt
- Provide private, supportive feedback after the session (Correct answer)
- Reduce the complexity of the skill being taught
Correct answer: Provide private, supportive feedback after the session
Private, constructive feedback after sessions preserves rapport and avoids embarrassing the caregiver during client interactions.
Question 4: Parent training goals should primarily be driven by:
- The BCBA's clinical judgment alone
- Insurance company requirements
- The family's values, priorities, and the child's individualized needs (Correct answer)
- Standardized protocols used across all cases
Correct answer: The family's values, priorities, and the child's individualized needs
Ethical ABA practice requires that intervention goals be socially significant and reflect the family's priorities and the client's individual needs.
Question 5: A caregiver struggles to implement a token economy correctly across multiple training sessions. Which strategy is most appropriate?
- Remove the token economy from the treatment plan
- Task-analyze the procedure and re-teach each step with additional modeling (Correct answer)
- Ask a different caregiver to implement the procedure instead
- Reduce the number of tokens required for reinforcement
Correct answer: Task-analyze the procedure and re-teach each step with additional modeling
When a caregiver struggles, breaking the procedure into smaller steps with repeated modeling and practice is the evidence-based approach.
Question 6: Which measure best evaluates whether parent training has been successful?
- Parent self-report of confidence
- Number of training sessions attended
- Direct observation of the parent correctly implementing the procedure (Correct answer)
- Score on a written knowledge quiz
Correct answer: Direct observation of the parent correctly implementing the procedure
Direct observation of correct implementation is the most objective and valid measure of parent training success.
Question 7: A BCBA is working with a family from a culture that views seeking behavioral services as stigmatizing. The BCBA should:
- Proceed with standard protocols without modification
- Acknowledge and respect cultural perspectives while adapting communication and service delivery (Correct answer)
- Refer the family to a BCBA from the same cultural background only
- Reduce intervention intensity to avoid further discomfort
Correct answer: Acknowledge and respect cultural perspectives while adapting communication and service delivery
Culturally competent practice requires acknowledging cultural differences and adapting services while maintaining scientific integrity.
ABA Parent & Caregiver Collaboration 2
A parent reports that their child's problem behavior only occurs at home and not at the clinic.
What should the BCBA do first?