RBT Competency Assessment

Continuous Measurement

Detecting all occurrences of a behaviour and recording it during an observation. Can be Frequency, Duration, Latency, or Inter-response Time.

Frequency

Counting each occurrence of a behaviour.

Duration

Measuring the total amount of time that a behaviour occurs.

Latency

The time between the antecedent and the beginning of the behaviour.

Inter-Response Time (IRT)

The time between the end of one behaviour and the start of the next.

Discontinuous Measurement

Recording only some instances of the target behaviour. Done using “Time Sampling. Which involves dividing an observation period into equal intervals. Can be Partial, Whole, or Momentary Time Sampling.

Partial Interval

Recording behaviour that occurs during only a portion of the interval.

Whole Interval

Recording behaviour that occurs throughout the entire interval.

Momentary Time Sampling

Recording behaviour only when it occurs at specified times.

Preference Assessments

Can be Single Stimulus, Paired Stimulus, Multiple Stimulus With Replacement, Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement, or Free-Operant.

Single Stimulus / Single Presentation / Successive Choice

Presenting each item singly and record engagement.

Paired Stimulus / Forced Choice / Paired Choice

Presenting each item in pairs and record preferred item. Continue presenting items until all items have been presented.

Multiple Stimulus With Replacement (MSW)

Present all items. Record engagement. Rearrange and re-present all items.

Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO)

Present all items. Record preferred item. Remove preferred item. Rearrange and re-present all other items.

Free-Operant

Present all items and record the length of time engaged with each item.

ABC Data

Data that identifies the antecedent, behaviour, and consequence.

Discrete Trial Training (DTT)

A teaching procedure in which learning trials are presented in quick succession with each trial having a clear beginning and end. Can be Errorless, Fast-Paced, or Varying Tasks and Instructions.

Errorless DDT

Prompting the correct response immediately after instruction.

Fast-Paced DTT

Moving quickly from one trial to the next.

Varying Tasks and Instruction DTT

Mixing and varying tasks or instructions.

Naturalistic Procedures

Teaching in a natural environment.

Incidental Naturalistic Teaching

Learner-initiated trials followed by naturally occurring consequences.

Chaining

A procedure used to teach a specific sequence of responses that result in a terminal outcome. Can be Forward, Backward, or Total Task.

Forward Chaining

Steps are presented one at a time in a progressive order.

Backward Chaining

Steps are taught one at a time in reverse order.

Total Task Chaining

All steps are taught at the one time in order.

Shaping

A procedure that uses reinforcement to gradually change the topography of a response or a response dimension (Rate, Duration, Magnitude).

Discrimination Training

Training session during which responses are reinforced in the presence of a specific stimulus and not in the absence of that stimulus. Can be Successive or Simultaneous.

Successive Discrimination

The discriminative stimulus trial or the stimulus delta trial is presented one at a time and the learner must decide to respond or refrain from responding based on whether the specific stimulus is correct.

Example: A student is shown a flash card with the word “CAT”. If they say “cat,” they are reinforced. If they are shown the word “CAR” and say “cat” they are not reinforced.

Simultaneous Discrimination

The discriminative stimulus and one or more stimulus delta are presented at the same time and the learner must choose the correct response.

Example: A learner is presented with three flash cards, a picture of a cat, a dog, and a bird. When prompted to point to the dog, the learner must decide which card to point to.

Prompting

An extra antecedent stimulus that is added to the environment to occasion a response, The purpose of this type of antecedent stimulus is to get the behaviour going or prevent an incorrect response from occurring. Can be Response Prompting or Stimulus Prompting.

Response Prompting

Type of prompt that operated directly on the response. Can be Verbal, Modelling, Full Physical or Partial Physical.

Verbal Response Prompting

Supplementary instructions or other words that promote the correct response.

Modelling Response Prompting

Prompt during which the desired response is demonstrated by another person.

Full Physical Response Prompting

Physically guiding the learner to engage with the response.

Partial Physical Response Prompting

Partially physically guiding the learner to engage with the response.

Stimulus Prompting

Highlighting some aspect of the environment to increase the likelihood of a correct response. Can be Gestural, Position, or Redundancy.

Gestural Stimulus Prompting

Implementer gesturing to prompt the correct response.

Position Stimulus Prompting

Placing the item being taught closest to the learner in relation to the other items.

Redundancy of Antecedent Stimulus Prompting

A prompt that accentuates features (size, shape, colour) of a stimulus to promote the correct response.

Prompt Fading

Technique used to gradually transfer control from the prompt to naturally occurring events in the learner’s environment. Can be Most-to-Least, Least-to-Most, and Time-Delay.

Most-to-Least Prompt Fading

The prompt is immediately provided and the gradually reduced as the learner responds correctly.

Least-to-Most Prompt Fading

Prompts are removed and only added as needed.

Time-Delay Prompt Fading

A Pause is added between the instruction and when the prompt is delivered.

Token System

Behaviour change system that includes conditioned reinforcers that can be exchanged for back up reinforcers.

Differential Reinforcement

A behavioural strategy used to decrease challenging behaviours by reinforcing desired behaviours while withholding reinforcement for problem behaviours.

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviour (DRA)

Reinforcing a specific, appropriate, alternative behaviour that serves the same function as the problem behaviour.

Example: Rewarding a student for raising their hand instead of calling out.

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible behaviour (DRI)

Reinforcing a positive behaviour that physically cannot occur at the same time as the problem behaviour.

Example: Rewarding a child for keeping their hands in their pockets instead of touching items on a store shelf.

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviour (DRO)

Reinforcing the learner for not engaging in the problem behaviour for a specific time period, regardless of what else they are doing.

Example: Giving a sticker for every 10 minutes that pass without the problem behaviour.

Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Responding (DRL)

Reinforcing the learner only when the problem behaviour happens less frequently, below a specific number of times in a given time period.

Example: Praising a student if they ask to use the bathroom fewer than three times a day.

Differential Reinforcement of High Rates of Responding (DRH)

Reinforcing the learner for increasing the frequency of a positive behaviour that happens too infrequently.

Example: Rewarding a child for participating in class discussions at least four times per period.

Behavioural Extinction

A process where a previously reinforced behaviour is no longer rewarded, causing that behaviour to gradually decrease and eventually stop.

Escape Extinction

Consists of continuing the demand or task regardless of the behaviour.

Example: A student throws their worksheet to get out of doing math. Under extinction, the teacher calmly places the worksheet back in front of them and prompts them to continue, not allowing them to escape.

Sensory Extinction

Involves masking, removing, or changing the physical sensation that a behaviour produced so that the action no longer feels satisfying.

Example: Modifying the sound that an object makes by placing soft foam on the item.

RBT Supervision Requirements

1. Must receive supervision for at least 5% of the total hours spent providing behaviour-analytic services.

2. Must have at least two face-to-face supervision meetings. At least one of those meetings must be one-on-one with a supervisor. The supervisor must directly observe the providing of practice at least once. Small group sessions are permitted for the remaining hours but are capped at 10 RBTs per group.

3. Supervision must be done by an active BCBA or BCaBA that completed the mandatory 8-hour supervision.

4. Both RBT and supervisor must maintain documentation of supervisions.