BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst Behavior-Change Procedures Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BCBA is teaching a client to wash their hands. The BCBA provides reinforcement only after the client completes the final step of the task, drying their hands. All preceding steps are prompted. Which behavior-change procedure is the BCBA using?
- Forward chaining
- Backward chaining (Correct answer)
- Total task chaining
- Shaping
Correct answer: Backward chaining
Backward chaining is a procedure where the last step in a behavioral chain is taught first, and once mastered, the second-to-last step is taught, and so on, until the entire chain is learned. Reinforcement is delivered upon completion of the terminal step.
Question 2: A client has a history of screaming to gain access to a preferred toy. The BCBA decides to reinforce the client for handing a picture card of the toy to an adult and ignores all instances of screaming. This is an example of which differential reinforcement procedure?
- Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO)
- Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)
- Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) (Correct answer)
- Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Behavior (DRL)
Correct answer: Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)
Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA) involves reinforcing a specific, appropriate alternative behavior that serves the same function as the problem behavior, while placing the problem behavior on extinction. In this case, handing a picture card is an alternative way to request the toy.
Question 3: Which of the following is the primary distinction between shaping and chaining?
- Shaping involves prompts, while chaining does not.
- Chaining is used for complex behaviors, while shaping is for simple behaviors.
- Shaping reinforces successive approximations of a single behavior, while chaining links a sequence of existing behaviors. (Correct answer)
- Chaining always teaches steps in a forward sequence, while shaping can teach steps in any order.
Correct answer: Shaping reinforces successive approximations of a single behavior, while chaining links a sequence of existing behaviors.
The fundamental difference is that shaping focuses on developing a new behavior that is not yet in the learner's repertoire by reinforcing gradual approximations toward the final behavior. Chaining, on the other hand, involves teaching a sequence of individual behaviors that are already in the learner's repertoire to form a more complex skill.
Question 4: A behavior analyst implements an extinction procedure for a client's attention-maintained disruptive behavior. Initially, the frequency and intensity of the disruptive behavior increase dramatically before starting to decrease. This temporary increase in the behavior is known as:
- Spontaneous recovery
- Extinction burst (Correct answer)
- Resurgence
- Response generalization
Correct answer: Extinction burst
An extinction burst is a common and temporary effect of an extinction procedure where the frequency, intensity, or duration of the behavior increases before it begins to decrease. It occurs because the individual is escalating the behavior in an attempt to contact the reinforcement that was previously available.
Question 5: A BCBA is designing a token economy for a classroom setting. Which of the following is the MOST critical first step in this process?
- Establishing the exchange rate for backup reinforcers.
- Selecting the type of tokens to be used.
- Identifying and operationally defining the target behaviors. (Correct answer)
- Creating a visual token board for the students.
Correct answer: Identifying and operationally defining the target behaviors.
Before any other component of the token economy can be designed, the specific target behaviors must be clearly identified and defined in observable and measurable terms. This ensures that both the staff and the students understand which behaviors will earn tokens.
Question 6: A client is learning to say the word "bubble." The behavior analyst first reinforces any vocalization, then reinforces "buh," then "buh-buh," and finally, only reinforces the full word "bubble." This process is best described as:
- Chaining
- Modeling
- Prompting
- Shaping (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Shaping
Shaping is the process of differentially reinforcing successive approximations to a terminal behavior. In this scenario, the analyst is reinforcing closer and closer approximations of the target word, "bubble," starting from a behavior already in the client's repertoire (vocalizing).
BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst Behavior-Change Procedures Questions and Answers
A BCBA is teaching a client to wash their hands.
The BCBA provides reinforcement only after the client completes the final step of the task, drying their hands.
All preceding steps are prompted.
Which behavior-change procedure is the BCBA using?