BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst Experimental Design Questions and Answers

Question 1

A behavior analyst is working with a student to increase the time they spend engaged in on-task behavior.
The analyst decides to use an experimental design where the criterion for reinforcement is systematically increased as the student demonstrates stable performance at each level.
For example, the student first earns reinforcement for 5 minutes of on-task behavior, then 10 minutes, then 15 minutes.
Which experimental design is the analyst using?

Accepted Answer

Changing criterion design

Answer

Multiple baseline design

Answer

Reversal (A-B-A-B) design

Answer

Alternating treatments design

Question 2

A BCBA is designing a study to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention. A potential threat to internal validity is 'history.' Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates this threat?

Accepted Answer

While the intervention is being implemented at school, the participant's parents begin a new, similar behavior plan at home.

Answer

The participant becomes more familiar with the testing procedures over time, leading to improved performance.

Answer

The observers collecting data subtly change their definition of the target behavior over the course of the study.

Answer

The participant shows improvement in social skills, which may be due to their natural cognitive and emotional development.

Question 3

Which of the following is a primary advantage of using a multiple baseline design over a reversal (A-B-A-B) design?

Accepted Answer

It does not require the withdrawal of an effective intervention.

Answer

It provides a more powerful demonstration of experimental control.

Answer

It is more effective for comparing the effects of two or more different interventions.

Answer

It is the only design that allows for the analysis of prediction, verification, and replication.

Question 4

In single-case experimental designs, the core components of baseline logic are prediction, verification, and replication. Verification is demonstrated when:

Accepted Answer

the independent variable is withdrawn, and responding returns to a level that is consistent with the original baseline.

Answer

the intervention is implemented again, and the data pattern from the first intervention phase is reproduced.

Answer

the baseline level of responding is projected to continue if the independent variable is not introduced.

Answer

the effects of the independent variable are shown across multiple different behaviors, settings, or subjects.

Question 5

A behavior analyst wants to quickly compare the effectiveness of two different function-based interventions for reducing a student's off-task behavior: differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) and noncontingent reinforcement (NCR). Which experimental design would be the most efficient for this purpose?

Accepted Answer

Alternating treatments design

Answer

Reversal (A-B-A-B) design

Answer

Changing criterion design

Answer

Multiple baseline across behaviors design

Question 6

All of the following are defining features of single-case experimental designs EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

the use of large, randomized control groups.

Answer

the participant serves as their own control.

Answer

repeated measures are taken over time.

Answer

experimental control is demonstrated through replication within the design.