RBT study guide

Frequency

count of instances of behavior, represented by a tally

Rate

frequency count with a time element (ex: per hour)

Duration

how long the behavior occurs

Inter Rate responses

the time between responses, start the timer when the behavior stops and end the timer when the behavior begins again

Latency

the time from prompt to start of behavior

continuous measurement

measuring each and every instance of behavior within the observation period

discontinuous measurement

taken when its too time consuming to take continuous measurement so you take measurement in whole, partial, or momentary

Partial Interval

recording the presence or absence of a behavior during a brief interval of time. examples: nail biting, hand flapping

Whole Interval

recording the presence or absence of behavior during the whole interval examples: social engagement, functional play

Momentary time sampling

recording the presence or absence of a behavior at the end of an interval

Permanent product procedures

not recording behaviors but recording the products behavior produces. For example: you could record how many questions a student answered on a worksheet by simply looking at the worksheet and counting the problems completed.

operational definition

a description of a property in concrete, measurable terms

Objective

only includes directly observable aspects of behavior, not observable internal states

Clear

anyone, without any prior knowledge of the behavior, should be able to understand the definition

Complete

includes all the information necessary to discriminate between the behavior and other behaviors that are similar but do not count.

Individualized

the particular forms of behavior that one individual displays will likely be different from those of another.

Preference Assessment

a set of procedure used to determine if one or more stimuli may function to increase the rate of a specific behavior or behaviors when delivered following the occurrences of that behavior

Free Operant Preference Assessment

The therapist does not interact with the client. The therapist observes which items the client interacts with and records the time spent with the item.

Single Item Preference Assessment

The therapist simply presents one item after another. The therapist records whether the client consumed/interacted with the item, made no response to the item, or avoided the item.

Paired choice preference assessment

The therapist presents 2 items to the client and records which item the client chooses.

Multiple stimulus preference assessment with replacement

the therapist presents multiple items at a time and records which item the client chooses to interact with.

Multiple stimulus preference assessment without replacement

the therapist presents multiple items at a time and records which item the client chooses to interact with once the item is chosen it does not go back in the array

Baseline

finding out where a client's skills or behaviors are before beginning therapy.

Skills assessment

a self-assessment tool that is used to determine whether you have certain skills as well as whether you like using those skills

VB-MAPP

Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program

ABLLS-R

Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills - Revised

Vineland-3

vineland adaptive behavior scales 3rd edition

Curriculum-Based Assessment

This type of test can provide information regarding how well the student is learning the curriculum being taught.

Functional Behavior Assessment

a set of procedures used to determine why someone is engaging in maladaptive behavior, usually assessed prior to ABA

Indirect FBA procedures

record reviews, interviews, and rating scales; there is very little contact with the client usually done with family

Direct FBA procedures

observing the client and recording what is seen, determining how often the behavior is occurring prior to ABA

Antecedent Behavior Consequence Data Collection (ABC)

this is where you record what happened before the behavior occurred, what the behavior looked like, and what happened after the behavior

Behavior Intervention Plan

a set of procedures to reduce maladaptive behaviors

What are the 5 steps an RBT takes before starting a therapy session?

1. review notes from previous sessions
2. minimize distractions
3. gather reinforcers
4. gather materials
5. read the skills plan

reinforcer

any stimulus or event that functions to increase the likelihood of the behavior that led to it

punisher

any stimulus or event that functions to decrease the likelihood of the behavior that led to it

unconditioned reinforcement

The effectiveness of the reinforcer IS NOT dependent on the learning history. Example; food, water, warmth, air.

conditioned reinforcer

the effectiveness of the reinforcer is dependent on the learning history, examples include; music, specific food, toys

positive reinforcement

adding to the environment to increase the future probability of the behavior occuring

negative reinforcement

removing something from the environment to increase the future probability of the behavior occuring

positive punishment

introducing something that will increase the future probability that the behavior will decrease. Example: you touch a hot put and your hand burns, you're less likely to touch a hot pot

negative punishment

taking something away that will increase the future probability that the behavior will decrease. Example: a student yells, the teacher takes the token away, the student is less likely to yell in the future

continuous reinforcement

the therapist reinforces every correct response of the target behavior

Intermittent reinforcement

All other schedules when reinforcement does not occur after every response. There are four types of intermittent reinforcement. Example; giving reinforcement every third response or giving reinforcement about every five responses.

Fixed ratio

providing reinforcement on a fixed response ratio. FR2 so every 2 times the client correctly responds they would be reinforced

Fixed interval

providing reinforcement on an interval time ratio. FI3 so you would provide reinforcement on the first correct response after 3 minutes had passed

Variable ratio

providing the reinforcement on a random pattern. reinforce after 1 response, reinforce after 3 responses, reinforce after 5 responses, the average of 1, 3, and 5 is 3 so VR 3

variable interval

provides reinforcement after an inconsistent period of time. same as above but with time

discrete trial training (DTT)

A teaching method in which learning trials are presented in quick succession, with a clear beginning and clear into each trial. Immediately after the first trial a new trial begins.

naturalistic training procedures

Uses natural techniques, and its delivery and can be embedded within play or every day routines.

task analysis

The process of breaking a complex skill or series of behaviors into smaller, teachable units; also refers to the results of this process. example; steps to brushing teeth

behavior chain

A sequence of behaviors that must be performed correctly. The steps are taught sequentially to a client

forward chaining

Training begins the link with the first behavior in the sequence.
Training only occurs on the steps currently mastered and current step (no training on steps after that).

backwards chaining

This training begins with the last behavior in the sequence of steps. The therapist performs all but the last step until the client masters that last step. Then the therapist performs all but the last two steps until the client masters the last two steps, and so on.

total task chaining

Training is provided for every behavior in the sequence during every training session. prompting is provided on each step

discrimination training

This procedure involves reinforcing one behavior and extinguishing the behavior in the presence of other stimuli.
Example; A client would receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a red car, however, they would not receive a cookie if they said red in the presence of a green car.

discriminative stimuli (SD)

A stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will be reinforced

Example; if a client would receive a cookie if they said read in the presence of a red car the red car is the SD. If you say "touch nose" and the client touches their nose, then saying touch nose is the SD.

S-delta

a stimulus in the presence of which a particular response will not be reinforced. per our car example, the green car would be the S-delta

stimulus generalization

occurs when stimulus that share similar physical characteristics with the controlling stimulus evoke the same behavior as the controlling stimulus.

stimulus discrimination

a differentiation between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus

physical prompt

physically manipulating the individual to practice the desired response, eventually the degree of touch can be lessened until the student performs it independantly

Model prompt

A prompt in which you demonstrate the desired response. Can be a physical (clapping) or vocal (saying thank you) demonstration of the desired behavior. Example; when teaching a client how to clap you may show them how to do this skill by doing it your self.

Verbal prompt

Supplementary words, instructions, or questions to assist a learner and demonstrating a correct response.
For example; when teaching an individual with autism to brush his teeth, you may provide verbal prompts for each step (remember to spit the water)

gestural prompt

A prompt where you indicate the correct response by gesturing in someway. Example; when asking a learner to pass a fork during a meal, you may point to the requested utensil among those on the table.

proximity prompt

A prompt where the stimulus that corresponds to the correct response is placed closer to the learner than other stimuli.
Example; if there are three cards on the table and you want the learner to point to a duck you might slide the duck card closer to the learner and keep the other two cards farther away.

visual prompt

Often used to help clients with transitions and schedules.

Example; your supervising BCBA might create a visual schedule that depicts the sequence of events to take place during a therapy session.

least-to-most prompt fading

Includes procedures where fewer prompts are provided at the beginning of a teaching interaction and gradually more intrusive prompts are faded in when the learner needs help.

most-to-least prompt fading

This prompt works in the reverse direction. With MTL prompt fading, you begin the teaching interaction by providing a prompt that you are sure will help the learner make the correct response; then you fade the prompts out.

time delay prompt fading

You can also insert a time delay that occurs after instruction but before the prompt.

generalization

spreading the effects of training to other trainings and settings critical to ensure that ABA effects do not only take place during ABA training

response generalization

When one behavior occurs in the presence of a stimulus and then another behavior occurs in the presence of the stimulus.

maintenance

probing the client to ensure that they still are able to do mastered skills

shaping

reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

sensory behavior

engaging in behavior to gain something positive in the body, ex: biting nails/twirling hair

escape behavior

a behavior that results in the termination of an aversive stimulus
ex: escaping homework, or escaping a person

attention behavior

Behavior results in accessing attention from others.

tangible behavior

Behavior results in access to a desired item or activity. playing with a toy or eating a snack to avoid demands

establishing operations

This refers to instances when something is made more valuable by deprivation- if you are hungry your most likely to engage in food seeking behaviors

abolishing operations

this is when something is made less valuable by satiation. if you are full you are less likely to engage in food-seeking behaviors

non-contingent reinforcement

This is providing reinforcement to a client regardless of Behavior.

Example; providing a client five minutes of attention every hour, this will make it less likely for the client to engage in maladaptive behaviors for attention.

demand fading

This is a technique where you increase the demand over time; used to decrease behaviors with the function of escape.

Example; first presenting a small amount of vegetable and increasing it over time or first presenting one math problem and increasing the amount of problems over time.

task modification

This technique is changing how the client does work, making it more preferred by the client.

Example; using your favorite character for counting, allowing the learner to use a favorite pencil, and identifying real objects rather than pictures of objects.

high probability sequence/ behavior momentum

Providing 3 to 4 demands with high compliance (a demand where you are sure the client can do it) and presenting the demand with low compliance at the end of the sequence. Must be done quickly while keeping demands simple.

Example; bite of pasta, bite of pasta, bite of pasta, then bite of vegetables.

differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)

reinforcing another behavior other than the maladaptive behavior

differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI)

reinforcing a behavior that cannot physically be engaged in at the same time as a maladaptive behavior

differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)

this reinforces a behavior that meets the same function as the maladaptive behavior. if a client is running away to escape homework, you could reinforce asking for a break. both running away and asking for a break will allow the client to escape the homework

differential reinforcement of lower rates of behavior (DRL)

this is typically reserved for socially acceptable behaviors that may occur too often. james is using socially acceptable but may occur too often so the teacher uses DRL to decrease but not eliminate by deliver reinforcement only if he greets 5 or less friends

attention extinction

ignore the behavior and provide no attention

tangible extinction

don't provide access to the item during the maladaptive behavior. Keep the item out of sight and stay strong, behaviors can escalate when a client knows they will not get the item.

escape extinction

do not allow the client to escape block all attempts of exit

pain attenuation

Take a Tylenol when you have a headache instead of banging your head

ecological variables

changes in medication, client is ill, client didn't get enough sleep, client missed a meal, client spent the weekend with another caregiver

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

HIPPA

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

How many RBT supervision hours are required from the BCBA?

20% of hours weekly

behavioral skills training

The most research-based technique, BCBAs are trained to use this method to train staff. Includes the instruction, modeling, role-play, then feedback.

instruction

provide a description of the skill, its importance or rationale, and when or when not to use the skill

modeling

in vivo-modeling is recommended, or video modeling

roleplay

allow the participant opportunities to practice the skill

feedback

provide positive praise for correct responding and some form of corrective feedback