ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Core Knowledge Questions and Answers 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A child with autism repeatedly lines up toys in a specific order and becomes distressed when this routine is disrupted. In ABA terms, this behavior is best described as:
- Escape-maintained behavior
- Restricted and repetitive behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement (Correct answer)
- Attention-seeking behavior
- Socially mediated negative reinforcement
Correct answer: Restricted and repetitive behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement
Repetitive, ritualistic behaviors in autism are typically maintained by automatic (sensory) reinforcement, meaning they are self-reinforcing regardless of social consequences.
Question 2: During naturalistic teaching with a child with autism, an instructor uses the child's interest in trains to teach color labeling. This strategy is an example of:
- Discrete trial training
- Incidental teaching (Correct answer)
- Chaining
- Behavior Skills Training
Correct answer: Incidental teaching
Incidental teaching embeds skill instruction within naturally occurring, child-led activities or interests in the natural environment.
Question 3: A behavior analyst is working to reduce a child's self-injurious behavior (SIB). Before implementing any intervention, the FIRST step should be:
- Implement a DRO schedule immediately
- Conduct a functional behavior assessment (FBA) (Correct answer)
- Obtain parent consent and begin extinction
- Apply physical redirection whenever SIB occurs
Correct answer: Conduct a functional behavior assessment (FBA)
A functional behavior assessment must be conducted first to identify the variables maintaining SIB before designing a function-based intervention.
Question 4: Which reinforcement schedule produces the HIGHEST and most consistent rate of responding and is most resistant to extinction?
- Fixed ratio (FR)
- Variable ratio (VR) (Correct answer)
- Fixed interval (FI)
- Variable interval (VI)
Correct answer: Variable ratio (VR)
Variable ratio schedules produce the highest, most steady response rates and the greatest resistance to extinction because reinforcement is unpredictable.
Question 5: An ABA therapist uses a prompt hierarchy moving from most-to-least intrusive prompts. Which sequence correctly represents this hierarchy?
- Gesture → verbal → model → physical
- Physical → model → verbal → gesture (Correct answer)
- Verbal → gesture → model → physical
- Model → gesture → physical → verbal
Correct answer: Physical → model → verbal → gesture
Most-to-least prompt hierarchy starts with the most intrusive (physical) and systematically fades to less intrusive prompts (model, verbal, gesture) as the learner gains independence.
Question 6: A student with autism has mastered a skill in the therapy room but does not perform it at school or home. This is a failure of:
- Acquisition
- Generalization (Correct answer)
- Maintenance
- Discrimination
Correct answer: Generalization
Generalization is the occurrence of learned behavior across untrained settings, people, and stimuli; failure to perform in new environments indicates a generalization deficit.
Question 7: In ABA, 'shaping' refers to:
- Reinforcing any behavior that reduces problem behavior
- Differentially reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior (Correct answer)
- Presenting discriminative stimuli in a specific sequence
- Linking individual behaviors into a behavioral chain
Correct answer: Differentially reinforcing successive approximations toward a target behavior
Shaping involves reinforcing behaviors that progressively resemble the final target behavior, gradually raising the criterion for reinforcement.
ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Core Knowledge Questions and Answers 3
A child with autism repeatedly lines up toys in a specific order and becomes distressed when this routine is disrupted.
In ABA terms, this behavior is best described as: