BCAT Behavior Reduction Strategies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A technician notices that a learner's problem behavior has not decreased after 4 weeks of implementing a behavior reduction plan with high fidelity. The technician should:
- Independently modify the reinforcement schedule to make it more frequent
- Continue the current plan and document the lack of progress to report to the BCBA (Correct answer)
- Discontinue the plan since it is clearly not working
- Add a punishment component without consulting the BCBA
Correct answer: Continue the current plan and document the lack of progress to report to the BCBA
The technician should document lack of progress and report it to the BCBA, who is responsible for evaluating and modifying the intervention plan.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of differential reinforcement of low rates of behavior (DRL)?
- Providing reinforcement only when the learner asks for breaks fewer than 3 times per hour (Correct answer)
- Providing reinforcement whenever any appropriate behavior occurs
- Providing reinforcement each time the learner asks for a break
- Providing reinforcement only when asking for breaks does not occur at all during a session
Correct answer: Providing reinforcement only when the learner asks for breaks fewer than 3 times per hour
DRL reinforces the behavior when it occurs at or below a specified criterion rate, making it useful for reducing but not eliminating behaviors that are acceptable at low frequencies.
Question 3: A learner engages in repetitive questioning (verbal behavior maintained by attention). The technician is instructed to deliver brief attention on a fixed-time 2-minute schedule regardless of whether questioning occurs. Over time, the questioning is expected to decrease because:
- The learner learns that questions are never answered
- The motivating operation for attention-seeking behavior is reduced by the free delivery of attention (Correct answer)
- Fixed schedules condition learners to only ask questions every 2 minutes
- The learner is being punished for asking questions
Correct answer: The motivating operation for attention-seeking behavior is reduced by the free delivery of attention
NCR reduces the establishing operation for attention-seeking by providing attention on a time-based schedule, thereby diminishing the value of attention as a reinforcer for problem behavior.
Question 4: A behavior support plan includes a 'precorrection' strategy before lunch. The technician verbally reviews expectations with the learner 2 minutes before the transition. Precorrection is designed to:
- Punish problem behavior before it starts
- Deliver a corrective consequence immediately following an antecedent
- Prompt appropriate behavior before a high-risk antecedent occurs (Correct answer)
- Provide non-contingent reinforcement during transitions
Correct answer: Prompt appropriate behavior before a high-risk antecedent occurs
Precorrection involves prompting or reminding a learner of expected behavior before a context in which problem behavior is likely, functioning as a proactive antecedent strategy.
Question 5: A learner's SIB escalates during a behavior reduction plan that uses planned ignoring. The technician observes the behavior is now at dangerous levels. The BEST immediate action is to:
- Continue ignoring because extinction bursts are expected and must be waited out
- Apply a more intensive punishment procedure independently
- Ensure the learner is safe, stop the session if necessary, and immediately contact the BCBA (Correct answer)
- Provide the maintaining reinforcer to calm the learner before resuming the plan
Correct answer: Ensure the learner is safe, stop the session if necessary, and immediately contact the BCBA
When a learner's safety is at risk during a behavior plan, the technician must prioritize safety and immediately notify the supervising BCBA.
Question 6: The primary advantage of function-based behavior reduction strategies over non-function-based strategies is that they:
- Work faster because they use more intrusive procedures
- Target the environmental variables maintaining the behavior, making them more likely to produce lasting change (Correct answer)
- Are easier to implement and require less training
- Always eliminate the need for any reinforcement-based components
Correct answer: Target the environmental variables maintaining the behavior, making them more likely to produce lasting change
Function-based interventions address the reinforcement contingency maintaining the behavior, leading to more durable and generalized reduction than symptom-only suppression.
Question 7: When transitioning a learner from a continuous extinction protocol to a maintenance phase, the technician should expect:
- Immediate and permanent cessation of the problem behavior
- Possible resurgence of the behavior and the need for consistent extinction application (Correct answer)
- Spontaneous recovery to be eliminated by teaching replacement behaviors
- No further need to monitor the behavior's rate
Correct answer: Possible resurgence of the behavior and the need for consistent extinction application
During and after extinction, resurgence and spontaneous recovery are possible, requiring continued vigilant and consistent application of the extinction procedure.
BCAT Behavior Reduction Strategies 5
A technician notices that a learner's problem behavior has not decreased after 4 weeks of implementing a behavior reduction plan with high fidelity.
The technician should: