Research, Analysis, and Intervention Flashcards
7 cards from real ABA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Research, Analysis, and Intervention flashcards as text
Which of the following is an example of a structural (descriptive) functional behavior assessment method?
Answer: Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) recording
ABC recording is a descriptive method that observes naturally occurring behavior without manipulating variables, unlike experimental functional analysis.
An intervention package that combines differential reinforcement with extinction would address the maintaining consequence of problem behavior by:
Answer: Withholding reinforcement for problem behavior while providing it for alternative behavior
Pairing extinction (removing reinforcement for problem behavior) with differential reinforcement (providing reinforcement for appropriate behavior) directly targets the maintaining contingency.
What is the primary purpose of conducting a preference assessment before an intervention?
Answer: To identify stimuli likely to function as reinforcers
Preference assessments identify stimuli the learner approaches or selects, which are then used as candidates for reinforcers in intervention.
A practitioner notes that data collected across observers on the same sessions consistently produces IOA scores below 80%. The most appropriate immediate action is to:
Answer: Re-train observers on the operational definition of the target behavior
IOA below 80% signals unclear definitions or observer drift; retraining observers on the operational definition is the first corrective step.
In a changing criterion design, experimental control is demonstrated when:
Answer: Behavior matches each successive criterion level as the criterion changes
The changing criterion design shows control by demonstrating that behavior tracks each stepwise criterion change in the expected direction.
A researcher reports a phi coefficient of +0.85 between a teacher's proximity and student on-task behavior. This statistic describes:
Answer: The strength and direction of association between two dichotomous variables
Phi (φ) measures the strength and direction of association between two binary variables, ranging from -1 to +1.
Which ethical obligation most directly constrains how long a researcher may maintain a participant in an ineffective baseline before beginning treatment?
Answer: The principle of beneficence and nonmaleficence
Beneficence requires that researchers act in participants' best interests, limiting how long potentially harmful baselines can be sustained for experimental purposes.