ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Core Knowledge Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: According to the DSM-5, the two core diagnostic domains for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are:

Intellectual disability and language delay
Deficits in social communication/interaction and restricted/repetitive behaviors (Correct answer)
Sensory processing disorder and executive function deficits
Adaptive behavior deficits and motor delays

Correct answer: Deficits in social communication/interaction and restricted/repetitive behaviors

DSM-5 consolidated the three previous domains (social, communication, repetitive behavior) into two: social communication/interaction deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors.

The DSM-5 (2013) restructured the autism diagnosis from the DSM-IV's three-domain model (social, communication, repetitive behaviors) into two domains: (1) persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, and (2) restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Severity levels (1–3) are specified for each domain. Understanding the diagnostic criteria is essential for ABAT candidates working with ASD populations.

Question 2: Joint attention refers to:

Maintaining eye contact during a conversation
Coordinating attention with another person toward a shared object or event (Correct answer)
Following a one-step verbal instruction
Repeating words or phrases heard from others

Correct answer: Coordinating attention with another person toward a shared object or event

Joint attention is the ability to share focus on an object or event with another person, a key early social-communication milestone often impaired in ASD.

Joint attention involves coordinating one's own attention with another person toward an external referent (object, event, or activity). It includes both responding to joint attention (following another's gaze or point) and initiating joint attention (pointing or showing to share interest). Joint attention is a critical early social-communicative milestone that emerges around 9–12 months in typical development. Deficits in joint attention are among the earliest signs of ASD and a primary target in early intervention programs such as JASPER and ESDM.

Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes echolalia as seen in individuals with ASD?

Spontaneous generation of novel sentences
Repetition of words or phrases previously heard, either immediately or after a delay (Correct answer)
Refusal to communicate verbally
Use of augmentative communication devices

Correct answer: Repetition of words or phrases previously heard, either immediately or after a delay

Echolalia is the repetition of heard speech, which can be immediate (right after hearing it) or delayed (hours or days later).

Echolalia is a speech pattern common in ASD where the individual repeats words, phrases, or utterances produced by others. Immediate echolalia occurs right after hearing the speech; delayed echolalia occurs later and may involve TV quotes, scripts, or phrases from past interactions. Echolalia can be communicative (functional) or non-functional. ABA programs may address echolalia by teaching mands, tacts, and intraverbals through Skinner's verbal behavior framework to replace echoed responses with functional communication.

Question 4: Sensory sensitivities in individuals with ASD are classified in the DSM-5 under which domain?

Deficits in social communication
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input) (Correct answer)
Intellectual disability specifier
Language disorder specifier

Correct answer: Restricted, repetitive behaviors (hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input)

The DSM-5 includes hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input as a criterion within the restricted/repetitive behavior domain.

In DSM-5, criterion B (restricted, repetitive patterns) includes four subtypes: stereotyped or repetitive motor movements/speech/use of objects; insistence on sameness/inflexible adherence to routines; highly restricted fixated interests; and hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment. This was a major change from DSM-IV, which did not formally include sensory sensitivities in the diagnostic criteria.

Question 5: In ABA-based early intervention for ASD, which approach most closely mirrors natural developmental sequences by embedding learning in child-led play?

Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) (Correct answer)
Functional Communication Training (FCT)
Contingency contracting

Correct answer: Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs)

NDBIs (e.g., ESDM, JASPER, PRT) combine developmental science and ABA principles, embedding teaching within natural, child-initiated interactions.

Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) are a class of ASD interventions that integrate principles of ABA (e.g., reinforcement, prompting, generalization) with developmental frameworks (e.g., following the child's lead, building on developmental sequences). Examples include the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation (JASPER), and Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). NDBIs aim to address joint attention, social engagement, and communication in child-directed, play-based contexts.

Question 6: Theory of mind deficits in ASD refer to difficulty with:

Recalling past events accurately
Understanding that others have mental states (beliefs, desires, intentions) that differ from one's own (Correct answer)
Regulating motor movements
Processing written language

Correct answer: Understanding that others have mental states (beliefs, desires, intentions) that differ from one's own

Theory of mind (ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states to others; deficits in ToM are associated with social difficulties in ASD.

Theory of mind (ToM), sometimes called 'mentalizing,' is the cognitive capacity to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that differ from one's own. Baron-Cohen, Leslie, and Frith's seminal 1985 false-belief task demonstrated that many children with ASD struggle with ToM, leading to the 'mindblindness' hypothesis. ToM deficits contribute to difficulties in perspective-taking, understanding sarcasm, and navigating complex social situations — all common challenges in ASD.

ABAT - Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Core Knowledge Questions and Answers 2

According to the DSM-5, the two core diagnostic domains for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are: