BCAT Autism Spectrum Disorder Questions and Answers

Question 1

According to the DSM-5, the two core, defining domains of Autism Spectrum Disorder are:

Accepted Answer

Deficits in social communication and social interaction; and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

Answer

The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder are organized into two primary domains: 1) Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, and 2) Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. While the other answer choices list common characteristics of ASD, they are considered symptoms or specifiers within these two core domains, not the domains themselves.

Question 2

A client has successfully learned to request a cookie by saying "cookie" when they are in the kitchen with their BCAT. To promote generalization of this skill, what is the most appropriate next step?

Accepted Answer

Teach the client to request a cookie when they are in different rooms of the house and when they are with other people, like parents or siblings.

Answer

Generalization is the process of applying a learned skill across different settings, people, and stimuli. To ensure the skill of requesting is functional, the client should practice it in various environments (e.g., different rooms, at the store) and with various people (e.g., parents, teachers, peers). The other options do not directly address the goal of generalization.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is the most objective and appropriate for inclusion in a BCAT's session note?

Accepted Answer

When presented with the math worksheet, the client dropped to the floor and screamed for 3 minutes.

Answer

Session notes should be objective, meaning they describe observable and measurable behaviors without making assumptions about internal states (e.g., 'angry,' 'happy') or motivations (e.g., 'didn't want to'). The correct answer describes exactly what was seen and heard (dropped to the floor, screamed) and includes a measurable component (for 3 minutes), which is the standard for professional documentation in ABA.

Question 4

A BCAT is starting with a new client. For the first few sessions, the technician spends time playing with the client's preferred toys, showing enthusiasm for their interests, and placing no demands. The primary goal of this activity is to:

Accepted Answer

Establish the technician as a reinforcer through a process called 'pairing'.

Answer

This process is known as pairing. The goal of pairing is to associate the technician with access to reinforcement (fun activities, preferred items) so that the technician's presence becomes reinforcing to the client. This helps build rapport and makes the technician more effective when they later need to place demands and teach new skills.

Question 5

A client's parents are very pleased with the BCAT's work and offer them a $50 gift card. According to the BACB's ethical code, what is the most appropriate action for the BCAT to take?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline, explaining that the ethics code prohibits accepting gifts to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Answer

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) Ethics Code for RBTs (and by extension, similar professionals like BCATs) has strict guidelines against accepting gifts from clients to avoid creating multiple relationships and conflicts of interest. While the most recent code allows for occasional gifts of nominal value (under $10), a $50 gift card far exceeds this and should be politely declined with an explanation referencing professional guidelines.

(BCAT) Board Certified Autism Technician Practice Test

(BCAT) Board Certified Autism Technician Practice Test

BCAT Autism Spectrum Disorder Questions and Answers