BCAT Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ASD severity level in the DSM-5 indicates that an individual 'requires very substantial support'?
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3 (Correct answer)
- Level 4
Correct answer: Level 3
DSM-5 Level 3 ASD indicates the most significant support needs, described as 'requiring very substantial support.'
Question 2: Co-occurring intellectual disability is present in approximately what percentage of individuals with ASD?
- 5–10%
- 15–25%
- 30–40% (Correct answer)
- 50–70%
Correct answer: 30–40%
Research suggests approximately 30–40% of individuals with ASD also have a co-occurring intellectual disability.
Question 3: A functional behavior assessment (FBA) identifies that a child's self-injurious behavior is maintained by escape from demands. This is an example of which function of behavior?
- Automatic reinforcement
- Tangible reinforcement
- Attention reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Negative reinforcement
Escape-maintained behavior is negatively reinforced because the behavior removes or postpones an aversive stimulus (the demand).
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a 'special interest' commonly associated with ASD?
- A child who enjoys playing with many different toys each day
- An adolescent with an intensely focused, encyclopedic knowledge of train schedules (Correct answer)
- A student who participates in multiple after-school sports
- A child who prefers outdoor play to indoor activities
Correct answer: An adolescent with an intensely focused, encyclopedic knowledge of train schedules
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus are a hallmark feature of ASD.
Question 5: During a social skills group, a child with ASD stands very close to peers when talking despite repeated prompts to maintain personal space. This difficulty is related to:
- Gross motor coordination deficits
- Pragmatic language and nonverbal communication deficits (Correct answer)
- Oppositional behavior toward peers
- Auditory processing disorder
Correct answer: Pragmatic language and nonverbal communication deficits
Difficulty using and understanding nonverbal social cues such as personal space reflects pragmatic communication deficits core to ASD.
Question 6: Which neurotransmitter system has been most consistently implicated in ASD research, particularly related to social behavior?
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- Oxytocin (Correct answer)
- GABA
Correct answer: Oxytocin
Oxytocin, often called the 'social bonding' hormone/neurotransmitter, has been most consistently linked to social behavior deficits in ASD research.
Question 7: Prevalence data from the CDC's ADDM Network (2023 report) indicates ASD affects approximately how many children in the United States?
- 1 in 100
- 1 in 36 (Correct answer)
- 1 in 68
- 1 in 150
Correct answer: 1 in 36
The CDC's 2023 ADDM report estimated ASD prevalence at approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States.
BCAT Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge 3
Which ASD severity level in the DSM-5 indicates that an individual 'requires very substantial support'?