BCAT Data Collection & Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCBA asks you to collect ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) data. What is the PRIMARY purpose of this data collection method?
- To measure how often a behavior occurs per minute
- To identify environmental variables that may be controlling a behavior (Correct answer)
- To record the duration of each behavior episode
- To count how many trials were completed in a session
Correct answer: To identify environmental variables that may be controlling a behavior
ABC data is a form of descriptive functional assessment used to identify antecedents and consequences that may be maintaining a behavior.
Question 2: When using a partial interval recording system, a behavior is recorded if it occurs:
- Throughout the entire interval
- At any point during the interval (Correct answer)
- Only at the moment the interval ends
- More than twice during the interval
Correct answer: At any point during the interval
Partial interval recording marks the interval as scored if the behavior occurs at any point during that interval, regardless of duration.
Question 3: You are using a 10-second momentary time sample to record a client's on-task behavior. You observe 18 out of 30 intervals as on-task. What is the percentage?
- 30%
- 18%
- 60% (Correct answer)
- 80%
Correct answer: 60%
18 scored intervals divided by 30 total intervals equals 0.60, or 60% on-task behavior.
Question 4: Which data system is BEST for capturing the length of time a client engages in self-injurious behavior during each episode?
- Frequency recording
- Duration recording (Correct answer)
- Latency recording
- Whole interval recording
Correct answer: Duration recording
Duration recording measures how long a behavior lasts from onset to offset, making it ideal for behaviors where length matters.
Question 5: A technician graphs data and notices an increasing trend in problem behavior over 5 consecutive sessions. What should the technician do FIRST?
- Immediately implement a new intervention without supervisor input
- Ignore the trend and continue collecting data for two more weeks
- Report the trend to the supervising BCBA promptly (Correct answer)
- Reduce the number of sessions scheduled per week
Correct answer: Report the trend to the supervising BCBA promptly
BCATs must report significant data trends to their supervising BCBA so clinical decisions can be made in a timely manner.
Question 6: Trial-by-trial data collection records:
- The percentage of time a behavior occurs during a session
- The learner's response on each individual instructional trial (Correct answer)
- The total count of behaviors across the entire session
- The interval in which a behavior first appears
Correct answer: The learner's response on each individual instructional trial
Trial-by-trial data captures whether the learner responded correctly, incorrectly, or with a prompt on each discrete training opportunity.
Question 7: Interobserver agreement (IOA) is calculated to:
- Determine if the treatment goal has been met
- Assess the accuracy and consistency of data collection between two observers (Correct answer)
- Measure the rate of behavior per unit of time
- Evaluate a client's progress toward generalization
Correct answer: Assess the accuracy and consistency of data collection between two observers
IOA measures the degree to which two independent observers record the same data, establishing reliability of the measurement system.
BCAT Data Collection & Analysis 2
A BCBA asks you to collect ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) data.
What is the PRIMARY purpose of this data collection method?