Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Competency Assessment Study Guide

Overview of Competency Assessment and RBT Tasks

• Current Progress: Tasks 6, 7, 12, 13, and 19 have been completed and initialed as mastered. These include discrete trial teaching (DTT), naturalistic teaching, token systems, and crisis/emergency procedures.
• Upcoming Requirements: After the next competency meeting, approximately three to four tasks will remain. These must be completed with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), either the lead BCBA for the site or the BCBA assigned to the RBT’s personal case.
• Study Resource: Information corresponds to specific pages in the provided RBT Study Guide.

Continuous Measurement (Study Guide Page 10)

Continuous measurement involves capturing every instance of a behavior during an observation period. There are five primary methods:

• Frequency: Counting the total number of occurrences of a target behavior.     * Example: If the target behavior is hitting, mark down a digit or a check in a system like Central Reach for every single hit that occurs.
• Rate: Counting the number of occurrences of a behavior within a specific time interval.     * Formula: $\text{Rate} = \frac{\text{Frequency}}{\text{Time}}$     * Example: If a client hits $5$ times over the span of $1\,hour$, the rate is $5$ hits per hour. If it occurs over $30\,minutes$, the rate is adjusted to reflect that timeframe.
• Duration: Measuring the total length of time a behavior occurs from onset to offset.     * Instructional Note: Definitions for onset/offset depend on the BCBA's criteria (e.g., crying, throwing oneself to the floor, or screaming).     * Example: Timing a tantrum from the second it starts until the second it stops.
• Interresponse Time (IRT): The amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of the same response.     * Procedure: Start the stopwatch when the first behavior ends and stop it when the next behavior begins.     * Example: A student is doing homework. When they finish the first math problem, the timer starts. When they begin the second problem, the timer stops.
• Latency: The elapsed time between the delivery of a prompt (the Antecedent) and the start of the response.     * Example: Asking a client a question and timing how long it takes for them to provide an answer.

Discontinuous Measurement (Study Guide Page 11)

Discontinuous measurement captures samples of behavior during specific intervals rather than every instance.

• Partial Interval Recording: The behavior is recorded as occurring if it happens at any point during the designated time interval.     * Trait: It is known to overestimate the occurrence of behavior because even a single second of behavior results in a marked occurrence for the entire interval.
• Whole Interval Recording: The behavior is recorded only if it occurs for the entire duration of the interval.     * Trait: It is known to underestimate the occurrence of behavior because if the behavior stops for even a second, it is not counted.     * Requirement: Requires the observer to be fully observant for the total length of the interval.
• Momentary Time Sampling: The behavior is recorded only if it is occurring at the precise moment the interval ends.     * Example: In a $60\,second$ interval, the observer checks if the behavior is occurring exactly at the $60\,second$ mark. If yes, it is a plus; if no, it is a minus.     * Application: This is the most effective method for managing multiple learners simultaneously as it does not require constant observation throughout the entire interval.

Permanent Product and Graphing (Study Guide Pages 12-13)

• Permanent Product: Measuring behavior after it has occurred by examining the impact the behavior had on the environment.     * Example: Counting the number of pieces of clothing a person folded after they have finished the task.
• Graphing Rules (Horizontal X-Axis): This axis represents the sessions or days.
• Graphing Rules (Vertical Y-Axis): This axis represents the type of measurement being used (e.g., frequency, percentage, or rate).     * Details: Graphs include phase lines and connected data points to visualize trends.

Preference Assessments (Study Guide Page 16)

Preference assessments are formal procedures used to identify items or activities that may serve as reinforcers. They identify potential reinforcers, whereas a "Reinforcer Assessment" confirms if the item actually increases behavior.

• Free Operant: The observer watches the client in an environment with open access to items. There is no manipulation; the observer simply records the duration of time the client spends with each item.
• Single Item Preference Assessment: Presenting one item at a time to the client.     * Procedure: Give the item for $30\,seconds$, record the response (interaction, avoidance, or no response), remove the item, and replace it with a new one.
• Paired Choice (Forced Choice/Paired Stimuli): Presenting two items simultaneously.     * Procedure: The client chooses one, plays for $30\,seconds$, then the items are swapped. Every item is eventually paired with every other item to create a hierarchy.
• Multiple Stimulus With Replacement (MSW): Presenting an array (usually up to $7$ items).     * Procedure: The client picks an item, interacts for $30\,seconds$, and then that item is placed back into the array for the next trial.
• Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO): Presenting an array.     * Procedure: When the client picks an item, it is removed from the array for subsequent trials, forcing the client to choose from the remaining items. This is often the quickest method.

Skill Acquisition: Chaining and Shaping (Study Guide Pages 25-30)

• Task Analysis: Breaking a complex skill (e.g., washing hands or brushing teeth) into smaller, teachable, sequentially ordered steps.
• Forward Chaining: Teaching the first step of the task analysis first. The client performs step $1$ independently, and the therapist performs all subsequent steps. Training moves to step $2$ only after step $1$ is mastered.
• Backward Chaining: The therapist performs every step except the last one. Training begins with the client mastering the final step in the sequence, which provides an immediate sense of accomplishment.
• Total Task Training: The client is taught every step of the task analysis during every session, with prompting provided as needed for each step.
• Shaping: Differentially reinforcing successive approximations toward a terminal (final) behavior.     * Example: To teach the word "ball," you first reinforce the client for saying "$b$". Once consistent, you only reinforce "$ba$", and finally, you only reinforce the full word "$ball$".

Behavior Reduction: Differential Reinforcement (Study Guide Pages 34-36)

Differential Reinforcement (DR) involves reinforcing a prosocial replacement behavior while withholding reinforcement for maladaptive behaviors.

• DRO (Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior): Reinforcement is delivered if the maladaptive behavior does not occur for a specific duration of time. The "other" behavior can be anything.
• DRI (Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior): Reinforcement is given for a behavior that cannot physically occur at the same time as the problem behavior.     * Example: Shaking hands instead of hitting; keeping hands in pockets instead of pinching.
• DRA (Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior): Reinforcement is given for a behavior that serves the same function as the problem behavior but is more appropriate.     * Example: Teaching a client to ask for a break (Mand) instead of running away to escape work.
• DRL (Differential Reinforcement of Lower Rates): Reinforcement is delivered if the behavior occurs below a specific threshold. This is used for behaviors that are socially acceptable but occur too frequently.     * Example: A student greets peers $10$ times per class. The teacher reinforces the student only if they greet peers $5$ or fewer times, as the goal is reduction, not elimination.

Professional Responsibilities and Ethics

• Client Dignity: Treat clients with the same respect you would want for yourself or a sibling. Use respectful, person-first language (e.g., "Johnny loves lining up objects" rather than "Johnny has autism"). Prioritize age-appropriate interactions and confidentiality.
• Professional Boundaries: Avoid dual relationships (e.g., being friends with families or babysitting outside of work hours). Do not connect with clients or families on social media. Avoid conflicts of interest.
• Gifts: RBTs cannot accept gifts valued at more than $10$.
• Supervision Requirements: RBTs must have a minimum of two contacts per month and supervision must account for at least $5\%$ of the total hours worked that month.

Questions & Discussion

• Scenario: Sally starts a stopwatch when a client screams and stops it when they stop. What is the measurement?     * Answer: Duration.
• Scenario: Paul needs a quick way to record task engagement for five students simultaneously.     * Answer: Momentary Time Sampling.
• Scenario: A client takes a long time to get dressed after an instruction is given.     * Answer: Latency.
• Scenario: Identifying the parts of ABC data.     * Answer: Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence.
• Question: What is an operational definition?     * Answer: A detailed description of behavior in observable and measurable terms.
• Question: What is an indirect assessment?     * Answer: Interviews or questionnaires conduct with parents or caregivers rather than direct observation of the client.
• Question: What is the result of ABC data collection?     * Answer: It helps generate a hypothesized function of the behavior (e.g., access to tangibles, escape, attention, or sensory).

Future Study References

• Discrimination Training: Page 26.
• Prompting: Page 27.
• Antecedent Interventions: Page 34.
• Extinction: Page 37.