BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst Behavioral Assessment Methods Questions and Answers

Question 1

A BCBA is tasked with identifying the function of a student's aggressive behavior, which occurs at a high rate and poses a risk of injury.
The BCBA decides to systematically manipulate antecedents and consequences in a controlled setting to test hypotheses about what is maintaining the behavior.
Which behavioral assessment method is the BCBA employing?

Accepted Answer

Functional Analysis

Answer

Descriptive Assessment

Answer

Indirect Assessment

Answer

Ecological Assessment

Question 2

Which of the following is considered an indirect method of behavioral assessment?

Accepted Answer

Administering a motivational assessment scale

Answer

ABC narrative recording

Answer

Scatterplot analysis

Answer

Direct observation of the target behavior in the natural environment

Question 3

A behavior analyst is working with a new client who is nonverbal and has difficulty making choices. The analyst wants to identify potential reinforcers. They decide to present one item at a time and record the duration of the client's engagement with each item. Which type of preference assessment is being used?

Accepted Answer

Single Stimulus (Successive Choice)

Answer

Paired Stimulus

Answer

Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO)

Answer

Free Operant

Question 4

A BCBA is reviewing a student's records, interviewing their teacher and parents, and having them complete behavior rating scales. The primary goal of this phase of assessment is to:

Accepted Answer

develop a formal hypothesis about the function of the behavior.

Answer

demonstrate a functional relation between the environment and behavior.

Answer

select a socially valid replacement behavior.

Answer

conduct a comprehensive skills assessment.

Question 5

The key distinction between a descriptive assessment and a functional analysis is that a descriptive assessment identifies _______, whereas a functional analysis identifies _______.

Accepted Answer

correlation; a functional relation

Answer

function; correlation

Answer

causation; function

Answer

hypotheses; causation

Question 6

A BCBA is conducting an assessment to identify the skills a learner currently has and which skills are deficits, in order to create a comprehensive curriculum plan. The BCBA uses a tool that breaks down broad skill areas into specific, teachable components and measures the learner's performance against a pre-set list of criteria. This type of assessment is best described as a:

Accepted Answer

Criterion-Referenced Skills Assessment

Answer

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)

Answer

Norm-Referenced Assessment

Answer

Preference Assessment