RBT Exam Vocabulary Flashcards (Hopebridge Study Kit)

RBT Training Glossary

• Continuous reinforcement: the target behavior occurs and is reinforced after every occurrence.
• Deprivation: not having something often enough and in return increases the effectiveness of it when used as a reinforcer.
• Differential Reinforcement (3 Types): A procedure in which one behavior is reinforced while other behaviors are extinguished.
  • DRI (Differential Reinforcement of INCOMPATIBLE behaviors): Reinforce behavior incompatible with an undesirable behavior. Example: Reinforce Johnny for writing his name appropriately rather than tapping his pencil.
  • DRA (Differential Reinforcement of ALTERNATIVE behaviors): Reinforce behavior that is an appropriate alternative (replacement) for the undesirable behavior. Example: Reinforce Annie when she asks for a break instead of yelling to get out of work.
  • DRO (Differential Reinforcement of OTHER behaviors): Reinforce any other behavior other than the undesirable behavior. Example: Reinforce Luke with a gummy every 5 minutes he does not engage in crying.
• Discontinuous Measurement: used to measure some instances of behavior but not all. Typically associated with partial and whole interval recording and momentary time sampling.
• Discrete Trial: learning opportunity initiated and controlled by the teacher in which the correct response will be reinforced. This also is breaking a skill into smaller parts and teaching it while using reinforcement. Allows for presentation of many learning opportunities in a short amount of time. Following the 3-term contingency.
• Discrimination Training: the procedure in which a behavior is reinforced in the presence of one stimulus and extinguished in the presence of another stimulus. Assists with learning how to respond in different environments or different conditions. Allows the client to learn the differences between stimuli.
• Discriminative Stimulus (Sd): a cue that signals reinforcement is available if the subject makes a particular response (Demand or Instruction).
• Dual Relationship: situation where multiple roles exist between a therapist and a parent or client. Dual relationships are also referred to as multiple relationships.
• ABC: antecedent – behavior – consequence. Also known as the 3-term contingency.
• Abolishing Operation: can decrease reinforcer effectiveness. Usually associated with satiation.
• Acquisition: A target that is in the process of being taught. This behavior is not yet a known skill.
• Antecedent Interventions: recognizing environmental factors that can attribute to problematic behavior and making changes necessary to promote appropriate behavior and reduce possible triggers for maladaptive behavior.
• Antecedent: events that occur before a behavior.
• Backward Chaining: Teaching skill steps one at a time from the last step to the first and prompting all steps before the step being taught. Reinforcement after teaching step and at the end of the task.
• Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): once the function of behavior has been determined, BIPs are used for antecedent strategies, responding to maladaptive behavior, teaching replacement behavior and what interventions to use, both verbal and physical.
• Behavior Skills Training (BST): procedure consisting of instruction, modeling, behavioral rehearsal, and feedback that is used to teach new behaviors or skills. Instructions, model, rehearsal, feedback.
• Behavior: anything a person does that can be observed and measured.
• 4 Functions of Behavior: 1) Automatic/sensory, 2) Escape, 3) Attention, 4) Access (tangibles).
• Chaining: Used to teach multi-step skills in which the steps involved are defined through task analysis. Each separate step is taught to link together the total “chain.” Can be done either by backward, forward, or total task analyses.
• Consequence: something that follows a behavior.
• Continuous Measurement: records every single occurrence of a behavior. Examples include frequency, duration, rate, and per opportunity.
• Frequency: the amount of times, or count, a behavior or response happens.
• Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA): process by which behavioral interventions are created to determine the function (reason) for a behavior, and then create an intervention based on that function. A Functional Analysis (FA) involves manipulating the environment to understand the behavior, while a Functional Behavioral Assessment involves observation, interview, and ABC data collection.
• Functional Relationship: how a person’s behaviors change the world around them, and how those changes affect future likelihood of the same behaviors.
• Functions of Behavior: ABA identifies 4 functions: Escape, Access (tangibles), Attention, and Sensory (automatic reinforcement).
• Generalization: change occurs when a behavior occurs outside of the learning environment. Generalization can happen across settings, time and across people and exists when the behavior occurs in these various environments.
• HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; federal protection for health information including confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected information.
• Imitation: Copying someone’s motor movements.
• Incidental Teaching: teaching technique used in naturally occurring environments to create natural incidents of learning (social, communication, play, and other forms of interaction).
• Instructional Control: developing a history of reinforcing compliance; placing task demands and other instructions following pairing.
• Intermittent Reinforcement: Schedule of reinforcing some but not all desirable behavior.
• Inter-Response Time (IRT): the time between two responses.
• Intraverbal: Verbal Behavior term; building blocks to conversation skills—the ability to discuss, describe, or answer questions about something not physically present.
• Latency: the time between when the Sd is presented and the response is given.
• Duration: the amount of time that someone engages in a behavior.
• Echoic: verbal imitation; repeating the speaker.
• Error Correction (ECTER): a four-to-five-step correction procedure used when a client makes a mistake on a mastered target. Steps: 1) Error - correct a mistaken response, 2) Correction - re-present the Sd with prompting, 3) Transfer - re-present the Sd without a prompt, 4) Expand - place easy/mastered demands, 5) Return - return to Sd of incorrect response with reinforcement for correct response.
• Errorless Teaching: prompting the correct response as soon as the Sd is given; no chance for error.
• Establishing Operation: increases the current effectiveness of a stimulus; deprivation is usually associated with this operation.
• Ethics: must follow the BACB’s code of ethics; violations can lead to loss of employment and certification.
• Expressive Language: ability to communicate; labeling objects, combining words into sentences, describing events/actions, answering questions, making requests.
• Extinction: withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, resulting in a reduction of that behavior.
• Extinction Burst: an initial increase in frequency or intensity of behavior when extinction is first implemented.
• Fixed Interval (FI): reinforcement on a set amount of time.
• Fixed Ratio (FR): reinforcement after a set number of responses.
• Forward Chaining: teach steps in order from first to last; prompts after the step being taught; reinforcement after each step and at task end.
• Preference Assessment: assessment to determine what a child is motivated by.
• Primary Reinforcer (unconditioned): items or activities naturally reinforcing.
• Principles of Reinforcement: Deprivation, Immediacy, Size, Contingency.
• Prompt: assistance added to evoke a desired response; stimulus and response prompts.
• Stimulus Prompt: cues used to evoke correct response (positional cues, environmental changes, moving items, color/size changes, proximity).
• Prompt Hierarchy: prompts arranged from greatest to least or least to greatest (expressive/receptive language hierarchies).
  • Expressive language hierarchy: full verbal, partial verbal, independent.
  • Receptive language hierarchy: full physical, partial physical, model, gestural, independent.
• Prompt Fading: gradually removing prompt levels.
• Punishment: any added or removed stimulus after a behavior that decreases its future occurrence (Positive Punishment, Negative Punishment).
  • Positive Punishment: a stimulus is added after a behavior to decrease it.
  • Negative Punishment: a stimulus is removed after a behavior to decrease it.
• Rate: ratio of count per observation time (how many times a behavior occurs per a set time).
• Reactive Strategies: techniques used in emergencies or crisis to gain control of dangerous behavior.
• Listener Responding: following a direction; receptive language goal.
• LRFFC (Feature Function Class) Prompt: used to describe and receptively find an object given its feature, function, or class.
• Magnitude: the force or intensity with which a response is emitted.
• Maintenance: ability to demonstrate previously acquired skills over time when reinforcement has faded.
• Mand: asking for something; a motivated request.
• Measurement: data collection on skills or behaviors.
• Momentary Time Sample (MTS): observe whether a behavior occurs at a specific moment within an interval.
• Motivating Operation (MO): environmental change that increases or decreases the effectiveness of a reinforcer; used with EO or AO.
• Natural Environment Teaching (NET): learner-initiated learning opportunities with natural reinforcers.
• Negative Reinforcement: removing a stimulus to increase/strengthen a behavior.
• Operational Definition: definitions of behavior that are measurable, objective, and observable.
• Pairing: establishing yourself as a reinforcer or the deliverer of reinforcement while building a positive relationship.
• Partial Interval Recording: check if the behavior occurs at any point within an interval; can be used for variable presentations.
• Permanent Product: tangible product or environmental outcome that proves a skill.
• Positive Reinforcement: adding a stimulus to strengthen/increase behavior.
• Stimulus Prompt: see Prompt.
• Tact: verbal behavior describing what is seen/heard/tasted etc.; a label.
• Task Analysis: breaking a skill down into smaller components.
• Token Economy: system using tokens to reinforce behavior.
• Topography: physical form/shape of a behavior.
• Total Task Chaining: teaching all chain steps at once; reinforcement delivered for independence and at task end.
• Variable Interval (VI): reinforcement on a variable amount of time.
• Variable Ratio (VR): reinforcement on a variable number of responses.
• Whole Interval Recording: check off an interval if the behavior occurs throughout the interval.
• Receptive Language: listener behavior; tasks requiring non-vocal action (touch, imitation, pointing).
• Reinforcement: anything added or removed after a behavior that increases or decreases its likelihood of recurrence (definitions below).
  • Positive Reinforcement: a stimulus presented after a behavior occurs which increases the behavior.
  • Negative Reinforcement: a stimulus removed after a behavior occurs which increases the behavior.
• Replacement Behavior: a behavior to replace an unwanted target behavior.
• Response Prompt: any prompt used in expressive or receptive language (gestural, model, or verbal prompting).
• Role of the RBT: program implementation, data collection, communication with stakeholders, working with BCBA and following the written program including BIP.
• Satiation: when a reinforcer loses its effectiveness due to overuse.
• Secondary Reinforcer (conditioned): items/activities that acquire reinforcing properties when paired with primary reinforcers.
• Setting Events: context or circumstance that changes the strength of stimuli in an environment-behavior interaction.
• Shaping: reinforcing gradual changes toward the target behavior while not reinforcing earlier approximations.
• Skill Acquisition: development of new skills or habits of quality.
• Spontaneous Recovery: reappearance of an extinguished behavior after a period without reinforcement.
• Stimulus: anything that elicits a response followed by consequence.
• Stimulus Control: precedes behavior but affects the outcome; influences behavior.
• Stimulus Control Transfer: removing prompts to bring behavior under control of the Sd via prompt fading.
• An observation that is broken down into intervals, the interval is only recorded if the behavior occurs throughout the entire interval (Whole-Interval Recording). In graphing, occurrences divided by time yields a continuous measurement, e.g., when a child points to a desk after 5 seconds, that 5-second delay would be recorded as latency if it precedes the target response.
• Rate vs. Latency vs. Duration distinctions: Rate is frequency per time, Latency is time from Sd to response, Duration is total time engaged in behavior.
• ABC data collection: direct data collection on antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.

Key Measurement Methods and Definitions

• Continuous measurement definitions and main types:
  • Frequency: number of times a bx occurs.
  • Duration: total time a bx occurs.
  • Latency: time from Sd presentation to response.
  • Inter-Response Time (IRT): time elapsed between responses.
• Whole Interval Recording: behavior must occur for the entire interval to be recorded as present.
• Partial Interval Recording: behavior recorded if it occurs at any moment within the interval (may overestimate the behavior for some target behaviors).
• Momentary Time Sampling (MTS): recording whether the behavior occurs at the end of the interval.
• Rate: ratio of count per observation time.
• Permanent Product: tangible product proving a skill was performed.
• ABC Data: direct measurement via observation and data collection across antecedents, behavior, and consequences.
• Preference Assessments: methods to determine motivating operations (MO) and preferred items:
  • Free Operant
  • Single Stimulus
  • Paired Stimulus
  • Multiple Stimulus with Replacement
  • Multiple Stimulus without Replacement
• For each: identify reinforcer type and schedule for use during sessions.

Schedules, Reinforcement, and Punishment

• Reinforcement schedules:
  • Fixed Interval (FI): reinforcement after a fixed amount of time.
  • Fixed Ratio (FR): reinforcement after a fixed number of responses.
  • Variable Interval (VI): reinforcement after a variable amount of time.
  • Variable Ratio (VR): reinforcement after a variable number of responses.
• Punishment types:
  • Positive Punishment: add a stimulus after a behavior to decrease it.
  • Negative Punishment: remove a stimulus after a behavior to decrease it.
• Extinction: withholding reinforcement for a previously reinforced behavior, leading to a decrease in that behavior.
• Extinction Burst: initial increase in frequency/intensity of behavior when extinction is implemented.
• Establishing Operations (EO) vs Abolishing Operations (AO): EO increases effectiveness of a reinforcer; AO decreases effectiveness.
• Motivating Operations (MO): changes in environment that alter the effectiveness of a reinforcer.

Prompting, Prompt Hierarchies, and Prompt Fading

• Prompt: assistance to achieve a desired response; can be stimulus or response prompts.
• Prompt Hierarchy examples:
  • Expressive language: full verbal, partial verbal, independent.
  • Receptive language: full physical, partial physical, model, gestural, independent.
• Prompt Fading: gradual removal of prompts to transfer control to the Sd.
• Error Correction (ECTER) procedure: 5-step process (as described above) used after errors on mastered targets.
• Errorless Teaching: immediate prompting to prevent errors.

Instructional Methods and Skill Formation

• Discrete Trial Training (DTT): discrete trial with clear Sd/demands, teacher-initiated, often 3-term contingency; includes teaching a skill as a sequence of trials.
• Natural Environment Teaching (NET): teaching within natural environments, learner-initiated, reinforcement is naturally tied to the activity.
• Chaining: linking together multi-step skills via task analysis; can be Forward Chaining, Backward Chaining, or Total Task Chaining.
• Forward Chaining: teach from first step to last; prompts provided after each step; reinforcement after each step and at task end.
• Backward Chaining: teach from last step backward to the first; prompts required for earlier steps; reinforcement after last step.
• Total Task Chaining: teach all steps in a chain in a single session; reinforcement delivered for independence and at task end.
• Task Analysis: the process of breaking a skill into smaller components for teaching.
• Generalization: learning that occurs across different settings, people, and times.
• Maintenance: ability to demonstrate previously learned skills after reinforcement is faded.
• Replacement Behavior: a desired behavior to replace a problem behavior.
• Maintenance and Generalization strategies: ensure skills persist over time and across contexts.

Language and Verbal Behavior Concepts

• Intraverbal: building blocks to conversation; answering questions about topics not present.
• Echoic: repeating what is heard (verbal imitation).
• Tact: labeling or describing objects or events (verbal behavior that comments on stimuli).
• Listener Responding: receptive language skill; following directions or commands.
• LRFFC (Feature, Function, Class): framework for identifying objects by their features, function, or class.

Ethics, Documentation, and Professional Practice

• BACB Code of Ethics: ethical guidelines govern RBT practice.
• MOO language in session notes: Measurements, Observations, and Objectivity.
• Session notes components (example items): transitions, maladaptive behaviors, BSP/POC adherence, DTT performance, etc.

Practical Exam Elements and Sample Questions (Overview)

• Common items on mock exams include definitions, examples, and applicability of terms like:
  • Difference between extinction and extinction burst.
  • Distinctions between DTT vs NET.
  • Types of preference assessments and how to conduct them.
  • ABC data collection scenarios and how to record them.
  • Identifying the four functions of behavior and giving examples.
  • Understanding and applying reinforcement schedules and token economies.
  • Describing different chaining methods and when to use each.
  • Identifying appropriate prompts and fading strategies in diverse scenarios.
• Example items to practice (types):
  • Define continuous measurement.
  • List main continuous measurements with examples.
  • Determine what prompt to record in given scenarios (Full Physical, Model, Partial Physical, Independent, etc.).
  • Identify and list the five types of preference assessments.
  • Determine ABC data for various scenarios (e.g., tantrums, reinforcement for correct answers, and naturalistic reinforcement).
  • Explain the four functions of behavior with concrete examples.
  • Differentiate DTT and NET with three differences.
  • Explain extinction-related graph components (extinction, extinction burst, spontaneous recovery).

Quick reference: Schedules and Terms (LaTeX-friendly)

• Reinforcement schedules: FI,\, FR,\, VI,\, VR
• DTT vs NET: discrete trial teaching vs natural environment teaching (learner-initiated vs teacher-initiated).
• Prompt hierarchy levels (examples):
  • Expressive: ext{Full Verbal}
    ightarrow ext{Partial Verbal}
    ightarrow ext{Independent}
  • Receptive: ext{Full Physical}
    ightarrow ext{Partial Physical}
    ightarrow ext{Model}
    ightarrow ext{Gestural}
    ightarrow ext{Independent}
• 3-term contingency: Antecedent
  ightarrow Behavior
  ightarrow Consequence.
• The four functions of behavior (ABA): Escape, ext{ } Access, ext{ } Attention, ext{ } Sensory.
• Reinforcement types: + ext{ Reinforcement}, - ext{ Reinforcement (removal of stimulus)}
• Extinction components (graph terms): extinction, extinction burst, spontaneous recovery.

Additional Notes and Examples

• Example of DRO: Reinforce any other behavior besides the undesired one, e.g., give a gummy every 5 minutes during which the child does not engage in crying.
• Example of DRI: Reinforce behavior incompatible with the undesired one; e.g., Johnny writes his name instead of tapping the pencil.
• Example of DRO vs DRA: DRO reinforces any other behavior; DRA reinforces a specific acceptable alternative, like taking a break request rather than screaming.
• Incidental teaching example: teaching occurs within naturally occurring interactions; learning opportunities arise from daily activities rather than structured drills.
• Token economy setup: tokens earned for appropriate behaviors and exchanged for backup reinforcers; discuss do’s and don’ts in implementation.
• Behavioral definitions and observations: use operational definitions to ensure observable and measurable behavior, and document with objective language in session notes.

Study tips (based on the provided kit)

• Memorize the 4 functions of behavior and associated examples.
• Practice ABC data collection scenarios to become fluent in recording antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.
• Be able to differentiate forward vs backward chaining and total task chaining, including when to use each.
• Review prompting hierarchies and fading procedures to promote independence.
• Understand the difference between continuous and discontinuous measurement and when to apply each.
• Familiarize yourself with common schedules and what constitutes reinforcement delivery for each (e.g., FI-3 seconds, FR-2 responses, VI-5 minutes, VR-4 trials).
• Practice forming concise, MOO-compliant session notes and documenting treatment integrity (BIP, POC adherence).

Quick reference: Common Acronyms and Terms to Know

• RBT: Registered Behavior Technician
• BCBA: Board Certified Behavior Analyst
• BIP: Behavior Intervention Plan
• POC/ BSP: Plan of Care / Behavior Support Plan
• FBA: Functional Behavioral Assessment
• FA: Functional Analysis
• Sd: Discriminative Stimulus
• EO: Establishing Operation
• AO: Abolishing Operation
• MO: Motivating Operation
• LRFFC: Likely refers to Feature, Function, and Class prompt framework in receptive identification
• NET: Natural Environment Teaching
• DTT: Discrete Trial Training
• EVT/ ECV: (as applicable in notes) - Not explicitly defined in the provided material, but commonly used terms in RBT prep materials

End of notes