ABAT CORE EXAM MANUAL 2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔satiation - ✔✔refers to the value decrease of a reinforcer do to over exposure of that
stimulus
✔✔task analysis - ✔✔breaking a complicated task down into simpler steps
✔✔Positive behavior support (PBS) - ✔✔changing situations and events that people
with problem behaviors experience in order to reduce the likelihood that problem
behaviors will occur
✔✔Important characteristics of PBS - ✔✔person centered planning, collaborative
teaming, functional behavior assessment, multi-component planning, systems change
✔✔Functional behavior assessment in PBS - ✔✔reliably predict and maintain an
individuals problem behavior, figuring out what antecedents or setting events trigger
behavior
✔✔Functional behavior assessment information is gathered through - ✔✔record
reviews, interviews, and observations and the development of summary statements that
describe the patterns identified
✔✔Individualized intervention plan - ✔✔plan should represent all of the situations and
settings that are a part of a persons life
✔✔what are the individualized interventions? - ✔✔1. proactive strategies for changing
the environment so triggering events are removed 2. teaching new skills that replace
problem behaviors 3. eliminating or minimizing natural reinforcement for problem
behavior 4. maximizing clear reinforcement for appropriate behavior
✔✔Person-centered planning is more comprehensive because - ✔✔multiple life
domains (medical, basic needs, safety, cultural and spiritual) and settings (home,
school, community) are addressed
✔✔why were person centered planning strategies developed? - ✔✔to support children
and adults with developmental disabilities so that they are actively involved in defining
lifestyle preferences and personal goals PLAN FOR FUTURE
✔✔where is person centered planning done? - ✔✔at focus persons home or
somewhere comfortable, informal and hospitable
✔✔when should person centered planning take place? - ✔✔anytime in a persons life
, ✔✔skill streaming - ✔✔systematic teaching approach to teaching children and
adolescents the social skills the need to lead fulfilling, personal and interpersonal lives
✔✔what are the 3 levels of skill streaming? - ✔✔early childhood, elementary, and
adolescent
✔✔TEACCH - ✔✔treatment and education of autistic and related communicaiton
handicapped children
✔✔4 mechanisms of TEACCH - ✔✔1. structuring the environment in ways that are
understandable to the client
2. use relative strengths in visual skills and interest in visual details to help supplement
weaker skills
3. use clients interests to engage them in learning
4. support self- initiated use of meaningful communication
✔✔PIVOTAL RESPONSE TRAINING - ✔✔evidence based, focuses on pivotal
behaviors which are behaviors that seem to be central to wide areas of functioning.
Changes in these behaviors should have positive effects on many other behaviors =
greater generalization!!
✔✔what has pivotal response training helped with? - ✔✔resulted in increases in play
and language skills as well as increases in social and emotional functioning
✔✔what are the benefits of Pivotal response training - ✔✔increased spontaneity,
increased compliance, easy to implement in a variety of settings, looks and feels like
play = increased generalization! woo!!!
✔✔what are the 4 empirically supported behaviors? - ✔✔1. motivation
2. self- initiation
3. multiple cues
4. self-management
✔✔what are the 6 steps of motivation? - ✔✔establishing attention, using shared control,
use learner choice, vary tasks and responses, intersperse acquisition and maintenance
tasks, reinforce response attempts
✔✔establishing attention is - ✔✔making sure the child is listening to you through eye-
contact, engagement etc.
✔✔what is shared control? - ✔✔found to lead to increased motivation, improved
responding and faster learning
✔✔how do you use shared control? - ✔✔follow the clients lead on what, how and for
how long for activities, turn taking: social give and take
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔satiation - ✔✔refers to the value decrease of a reinforcer do to over exposure of that
stimulus
✔✔task analysis - ✔✔breaking a complicated task down into simpler steps
✔✔Positive behavior support (PBS) - ✔✔changing situations and events that people
with problem behaviors experience in order to reduce the likelihood that problem
behaviors will occur
✔✔Important characteristics of PBS - ✔✔person centered planning, collaborative
teaming, functional behavior assessment, multi-component planning, systems change
✔✔Functional behavior assessment in PBS - ✔✔reliably predict and maintain an
individuals problem behavior, figuring out what antecedents or setting events trigger
behavior
✔✔Functional behavior assessment information is gathered through - ✔✔record
reviews, interviews, and observations and the development of summary statements that
describe the patterns identified
✔✔Individualized intervention plan - ✔✔plan should represent all of the situations and
settings that are a part of a persons life
✔✔what are the individualized interventions? - ✔✔1. proactive strategies for changing
the environment so triggering events are removed 2. teaching new skills that replace
problem behaviors 3. eliminating or minimizing natural reinforcement for problem
behavior 4. maximizing clear reinforcement for appropriate behavior
✔✔Person-centered planning is more comprehensive because - ✔✔multiple life
domains (medical, basic needs, safety, cultural and spiritual) and settings (home,
school, community) are addressed
✔✔why were person centered planning strategies developed? - ✔✔to support children
and adults with developmental disabilities so that they are actively involved in defining
lifestyle preferences and personal goals PLAN FOR FUTURE
✔✔where is person centered planning done? - ✔✔at focus persons home or
somewhere comfortable, informal and hospitable
✔✔when should person centered planning take place? - ✔✔anytime in a persons life
, ✔✔skill streaming - ✔✔systematic teaching approach to teaching children and
adolescents the social skills the need to lead fulfilling, personal and interpersonal lives
✔✔what are the 3 levels of skill streaming? - ✔✔early childhood, elementary, and
adolescent
✔✔TEACCH - ✔✔treatment and education of autistic and related communicaiton
handicapped children
✔✔4 mechanisms of TEACCH - ✔✔1. structuring the environment in ways that are
understandable to the client
2. use relative strengths in visual skills and interest in visual details to help supplement
weaker skills
3. use clients interests to engage them in learning
4. support self- initiated use of meaningful communication
✔✔PIVOTAL RESPONSE TRAINING - ✔✔evidence based, focuses on pivotal
behaviors which are behaviors that seem to be central to wide areas of functioning.
Changes in these behaviors should have positive effects on many other behaviors =
greater generalization!!
✔✔what has pivotal response training helped with? - ✔✔resulted in increases in play
and language skills as well as increases in social and emotional functioning
✔✔what are the benefits of Pivotal response training - ✔✔increased spontaneity,
increased compliance, easy to implement in a variety of settings, looks and feels like
play = increased generalization! woo!!!
✔✔what are the 4 empirically supported behaviors? - ✔✔1. motivation
2. self- initiation
3. multiple cues
4. self-management
✔✔what are the 6 steps of motivation? - ✔✔establishing attention, using shared control,
use learner choice, vary tasks and responses, intersperse acquisition and maintenance
tasks, reinforce response attempts
✔✔establishing attention is - ✔✔making sure the child is listening to you through eye-
contact, engagement etc.
✔✔what is shared control? - ✔✔found to lead to increased motivation, improved
responding and faster learning
✔✔how do you use shared control? - ✔✔follow the clients lead on what, how and for
how long for activities, turn taking: social give and take
