RBT Competency Assessment

Describe how to Prepare for Data Assessment

Get a pencil and appropriate data sheets [ABC Data, Manding, & NET] ready. Have all learning material ready and make sure the table is paired with reinforcers

Continuous Measurement Procedures

Frequency and Duration

Frequency Data

Continuous Data. Collecting Manding data because we collect it on every opportunity.

Duration Data

Continuous data. Recording how long a tantrum occurred.

Discontinuous Measurement Procedures

Skill Acquisition data because it's only collected on the first response of the session; this is also called Cold Probe Data. Other types include partial interval recording, whole interval recording, and momentary time sampling.

Partial Interval Recording

Discontinuous Data. This is used if a behavior occurred at least once in a specified time interval.

Whole Interval Recording

Discontinuous Data. This is used if a behavior occurred during the entire duration of the timed interval.

Momentary Time Sampling

Discontinuous Data. This would be when you record data only every X amount of minutes.

Permanent Product Recording Procedures

A 'card system' is often used. These are permanent products because they're tangible things that can be counted and measured to record progress, or to get the percentage of correct responding with target and maintenance responses.

Behavior and the environment in observable and measurable terms

Ask, what does it look like? Hitting is a behavior. Things you can see are behaviors. Frustration would not be a behavior because you cannot see frustration.

Behavior should be described in __________ and __________ terms.

Observable and Measurable

Preference Assessments

Formal ways to determine potential reinforcers. In some ABA programs, clients fill out a potential reinforcer survey. Otherwise, the therapist observes the child's motivation and takes note in what they are engaging with to determine reinforcers.

Assist with individuals assessment procedures

RBT's role is to assist the BCBA by paring, collecting ABC data if necessary and collecting assessment data based on the learner's profile (manding, listener skills, motor imitation, etc).

Assist with functional assessment procedures

RBT's role is to asst BCBA; while the BCBA is doing a Functional Assessment Interview with the caregiver, the RBT collects ABC data and implement antecedent manipulations (pairing). RBT will share data with the BCBA to be analyzed and a treatment plan developed.

Essential components of a written Skill Acquisition Plan

Baseline; Where the child is at so skills aren't retaught

Observable/Measureable goals; for example: Emma will spell her name with 100% accuracy

Criterion for Mastery; The task will be performed a certain number of times. This is determined on the client. Some children may master the skill in 3 days others in 5 days.

How to prepare for a session as required by the skill acquisition plan

Have all data sheets ready.

Have the table paired with preferred items.

Have all learning materials ready and available.

Have all teach, target, and maintenance cards ready on the table in piles.

Different contingencies of reinforcement

Continuous Reinforcement.

Intermittent Reinforcement.

Continuous Reinforcement

Used for teaching new skills. It is when reinforcement is provided after every correct response.

Intermittent/Variable Reinforcement

Recommended once you can fade out prompts effectively. For example, you would provide reinforcement, on average, every 5-7 times.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT) Procedures

A method of teaching simplified and structured steps. Instead of teaching an entire skill all at once, the skill is broken down into teachable units and built up using discrete trials that teach each step one at a time.

Naturalistic Teaching Procedures (NET)

When the activity itself is reinforcing to the learner. The therapist then sets up manding opportunities while teaching across the operants related to the item/activity. Incidental Teaching is also a naturalistic teaching procedure and is often recorded on the same data sheet as NET.

Incidental Teaching

Similar to NET because you're not running trials at a table. May not be motivational based however, you teach in the moment. For example, you're at the grocery store and you say "Go find a yellow fruit", they find a banana, you ask "What's it called" and they tact "Banana".

Task analyzed chaining procedures [Task Analysis]

Commonly used to teach daily living skills like hand washing, tooth brushing, etc. Each step in the task analysis is a 'chain' to teach the entire skill.

Discrimination training

Conditional discriminations are when you teach two concepts at the same time so the learner knows how to discriminate. For example teaching hot and cold at the same time.

Stimulus control transfer procedures

A process in which prompts are removed once the target behavior is occurring int he presence of the discriminative stimulus (SD). Prompt fading and prompt delay are procedures used to transfer stimulus control from the prompt to the SD.

Stimulus Fading procedures

Gradually fading a stimulus (prompt) to obtain independent responses

Prompt and prompt fading procedures

This is Errorless teaching procedures along with Error Correct Procedure

How to implement generalization procedures

Varying the SD or changing therapists so that the student responds to more than one instructor. Teaching at the table and in Natural Environment. For example saying "Do what I do" instead of always saying "Do this" or teaching a student how to answer "What is your age" after they've mastered "How old are you?"

How to implement maintenance procedures

Have they retained the skill? Mastery criteria is generally 3 consecutive 'yes's'. It's important to mix in maintenance tasks with teach tasks to ensure that all learned skills continue to be maintained.

Assisting with the training of Stakeholders

You need to be able to model the procedures and then explain why. It's important to maintain a professional relationship and pair yourself with others so that they will want to learn from you. An example would be to say "We need to do this in order for ______ behavior to decrease".

Stakeholders

Family, Caregivers, Babysitters and other professionals that have a personal stake in the child's life

Essential components of a written behavior reduction Plan

Must have target behavior definitions.

Must include any baseline data/graphs.

Must list all antecedent manipulations [this includes teaching the replacement behavior].

Consequence strategies that are listed in step by step procedures.

Must contain a signature from caregiver, agreeing to the procedures.

Functions of behavior

Escape

Attention

Tangibles

Sensory/Automatic

Interventions based on modification of antecedents such as motivating/establishing operations and discrimintive stimuli

To control for escape: Pairing ourselves as a conditioned reinforcer; pairing the table; gradually fading in demands; mixing easy with hard; starting with continuous reinforcement schedule; using the promise reward, etc.

Different reinforcement procedures

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior [DRA]

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior [DRO]

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior [DRA]

AKA: Differential Reinforcement of Appropriate Behavior. Example would be teaching a child to say "Open" to replace the behavior of crying when the child wants to have things opened.

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior [DRO]

Reinforcing the absence of behavior. For example, providing a child skittles for staying in his seat during circle time.

Extinction Procedures

Procedure where you withhold reinforcement contingent upon problem behavior. Extinction occurs when reinforcement of a previously reinforced behavior is discontinued.

Crisis/Emergency procedures according to Protocol.

If a child is injured you must take care of the injury and notify the caregiver immediately. Then, an incident report needs to be filled out and submitted to the ABA case manager. If CRISIS behavior occurs (continuous aggression, continuous self injury or continuous high magnitude disruptive behavior), immediately block any projectiles or dangerous items while also blocking access to any preferred items and call for caregiver to be present. Once problem behavior stops, either redirect to a neutral activity or end session if safety is a concern. Notify BCBA immediately of any crisis behavior.

Variables that might affect the client that should be documented in a clinical note

It's important to document any illnesses, start/end of medication or medication change or other setting events such as father currently being away.

Session Notes

Must state what occurred during the session in objective terms

Methods to effectively communicate with supervisor

Must return all emails and phone calls within 24 hours during the work week. As soon as you have a question or concern regarding your client you must communicate with the supervisor immediately.

Applicable legal, regulatory and workplace reporting requirements

If a child is injured you must fill out an incident report.

RBT's are mandated reporters so if you suspect abuse or neglect you are mandated to report it to the Virginia Abuse Hotline

Applicable legal regulatory and workplace requirements for data collection, storage and transprotation

All client records, data, and program books are confidential property. This information isn't allowed to be shared with non-employees. If you're transporting a child's program book or any other documents they must be locked in the truck of your car. All program books either stay at the client's home or at the clinic.

The role of the RBT in the service delivery system

RBT is the clinician who implements the treatment plan under the supervision of the BCBA

Responding to feedback

You must accept feedback with a positive and professional demeanor and immediately implement what was suggested by the supervisor

How to communicate with Stakeholders

You must be able to speak appropriately with others in a positive and professional manner. Must be able to model procedures and be able to explain the rationale behind the procedures. Everything recommended is evidence-based. Try to use colloquial terms as t not intimidate the caregivers.

Methods to maintain professional boundaries

All clinicians must maintain professional working relationship with clients. They're not allowed to babysit, accept gifts, stay over for dinner or attend any social outings with clients [avoid dual relationships]. Staff aren't allowed to provide services to family members or personal friends [avoid conflicts of interest]. Clinicians aren't allowed to be friends with the clients on social media.

Methods to maintain client dignity

Always respect the client. Speak TO them and not AT them. Adjust your own language with the different learners/ages, for example, taking to a 2 year old is different from talking to a 15 year old. Respect any cultural differences, for example, taking shoes off at a clients house.

ABC Data

Antecedent; What happened before

Behavior; What the client actually did

Consequence; what the child did after

BCBA

Board Certified Behavioral Analyst conducts assessments, develops treatment plans and supervises the RBT