Registered Behavior Technician

Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)

A paraprofessional who helps provide behavior-analytic services under the supervision of a qualified professional.

Antecedent

What occurs immediately before the behavior.

Behavior

What the person actually does.

Consequence

What happens immediately after the behavior.

Frequency

The number of times a behavior occurs.

Rate

The number of responses per unit of time.

Duration

How long a behavior lasts.

Latency

The time between an instruction/event and the beginning of a response.

Reinforcement

A consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur again in the future.

Positive Reinforcement

Something is added after a behavior and the behavior increases.

Negative Reinforcement

Something is removed after a behavior and the behavior increases.

Positive Punishment

Something is added, and behavior decreases.

Negative Punishment

Something is removed, and behavior decreases.

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

Reinforcing an appropriate alternative behavior.

Task Analysis

Breaking a complex skill into smaller teachable steps.

Chaining

Teaching the individual steps of a task analysis in a sequence.

Generalization

A skill occurring with different people, places, materials, or situations.

Maintenance

A previously learned skill continues over time.

Extinction

A previously reinforcing consequence is no longer provided following a behavior.

Confidentiality

The obligation to protect a client's privacy and not disclose identifying information.

Ethics

Guidelines that dictate the RBT's responsibilities and standards of conduct.

Documentation

The objective writing of session notes to provide accurate records of client behavior.