RBT Competency Assessment Questions and
Answers 2025-2026
IndirectAMeasurementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
interviews,AratingAscales,Aquestions,Asurveys
DirectAMeasurementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
observationAofAtheAbehaviorAandArecordingAitAasAitAoccurs
BehavioralADefinitionsA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
operational,AincludesAverbsAdescribingAbehavior,AobjectiveA+Aunambiguous,AdoesAnotArely
AonAinternalAstatesA(happy,Asad),AdoesAnotAuseAlabelsA(badAorAgood)
OperationalA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
describesAwhatAtheAbehaviorAlooksAlikeAsoAtwoAindependentAobserversAcanArecognizeA+Are
cordAtheAsameAbehavior
IndirectAOutcomeARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
measuresAresultsAthatAproducesAanAobservableAproductAinAtheAenvironment.AmainAadvant
ageAisAthatAit'sAeasyAtoAuse
DirectAOutcomeARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
insteadAofArelyingAonAmemoryAdataAisAgatheredAimmediatelyAasAtheAbehaviorAoccursAorAas
AitAproducesAresults
EventARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
behaviorAisAobservedAcontinuouslyAthroughoutAtheAobservationAperiod,AandAeachAinstance
AofAtheAbehaviorAisArecordedAimmediatelyAasAitAoccurs.AMustAmeetAtwoAcriteria:ADoesAtheAb
ehaviorAlookAtheAsameAeveryAtime?ADoesAtheAbehaviorAhaveAaAclearAbeginningAandAend?
FrequencyARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAforAbehaviorsAthatAhaveAaAclearAbeginningAandAend,AtallyAtheAnumberAofAtimesAtheAbe
haviorAoccurs
IntensityA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
magnitudeAorAforceAofAresponseA(onlyArecordAifAthisAisAtheAaspectAofAtheAbehaviorAyouAareAt
ryingAtoAchange)
DurationA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
howAlongAaAbehaviorApersists,AshouldAbeAusedAifAyouAareAtryingAtoAdecreaseAhowAlongAaAb
ehaviorAlasts
LatencyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
timeAthatAoccursAbetweenAtheASDAandAtheAresponseA(ex.AhowAlongAtoArespondAtoAaApeer'sA
question).AYouArecordAthisAwhenAtheAgoalAisAtoAdecreaseAtheAtimeAbetweenASDAandArespo
nse
PartialAIntervalARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
involvesAcheckingAoffAanAintervalAifAtheAbehaviorAoccursAatAANYApointAwithinAtheAintervalA-
AevenAifAitAonlyAoccuredAforA1Asecond.AYouAcanAuseAthisAforAself-
stimulatoryAbehaviorsAorAbehaviorsAthatAdon'tAlookAtheAsameAeveryAtime.AAnAoverexagger
ationAofAtheAbehavior,AyouAuseAthisAmethodAtoAdecreaseAbehavior.
WholeAIntervalARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
involvesAcheckingAoffAtheAintervalAifAtheAbehaviorAoccursAthroughoutAtheAWHOLEAinterval.A
, UseAwhenAitAisAdifficultAtoAtellAwhenAtheAbehaviorAbeginsAorAends,AwhenAitAoccursAatAsuchAa
AhighArateAitAisAdifficultAtoAkeepAcount.AAnAunder-
exaggerationAofAbehavior,AyouAuseAthisAmethodAtoAincreaseAbehavior.
MomentaryATimeASamplingARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
dataAisAlessArepresentativeAthanAintervals,AlookingAforAaAbehavior'sAoccurrenceAduringAaAs
pecificApartAofAtheAintervalAandArecordingAifAitAisAoccurringAatAthatApreciseAmoment.AEx:Asett
ingAaAtimerAtoAgoAoffAeveryAminuteAforAaA30AminuteAinterval,AonlyAcheckingAforAbehaviorAan
dAmarkingAitAdownAasAtheAtimerAgoesAoff.
ReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-followsAaAbehaviorAthatAincreasesAthatAbehavior
PunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-followsAaAbehaviorAthatAdecreasesAthatAbehavior
PositiveAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-additionAofAaApleasantAstimulus
NegativeAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-removalAofAanAaversiveAstimulus
PositiveAPunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-additionAofAanAaversiveAstimulus
NegativeAPunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-removalAofAaApleasantAstimulus
MotivatingAOperationsA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
VariablesAinAtheAenvironmentAthatAalterAtheArelativeAvalueAofAaAparticularAreinforcerAatAaApa
rticularAtime.
DeprivationA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
whenAaApersonAhasn'tAhadAaccessAtoAaAparticularAreinforcerAforAaAsignificantAperiodAofAtime
,AmakesAitAmoreApotent
ImmediacyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAtimeAbetweenAtheAoccurrenceAofAtheAbehaviorAandAtheAdeliveryAofAtheAreinforcer.ATheA
moreAimmediate,AtheAmoreAeffective
SizeA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAmagnitudeAofAtheAreinforcerAchangesAtheAeffectiveness.AYouAwantAtoAnotAgiveAtooAmuc
hAorAtheAreinforcerAwillAloseAitsAvalue,AbutAtooAlittleAwillAnotAbeAmotivatingAenough.
ContingencyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
whenAtheAreinforcerAisAdeliveredAonlyAforAtheAtargetAbehaviorAitAisAmoreAeffective
SchedulesAofAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
specifiesAhowAoftenAparticularAbehaviorsAreceiveAreinforcement
ContinuousAscheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAforAlearningAnewAbehaviors,AtheAbehaviorAisAreinforcedAeveryAtime
IntermittentAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAtoAmaintainAbehaviorAonceAaAskillAisAacquired.ABehaviorAisAonlyAreinforcedAsomeAofAt
heAtime.ATheyAgenerateAhighAresponseAratesAandApreventAbehaviorAfromAstopping.
FixedARatioAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
aAscheduleAofAreinforcementAafterAaAfixedAlevelAofAresponses.AEx:AreinforceAafterAeveryA5t
hAcorrectAresponse.
VariableARatioAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
AnAaverageAnumberAofAresponsesAmustAbeAmadeAbeforeAdeliveryAofAreinforcement.AEx:Asl
otAmachine
FixedAIntervalAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
itAdoesn'tAmatterAhowAmanyAtimesAtheAbehaviorAoccurred,AtheApersonAonlyAgetsAtheAreinfor
cerAonceAtheAresponseAisAgivenAafterAaAfixedAamountAofAtime.AEx:AreceivingAaApaycheck.
VariableAIntervalAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAreinforcerAisAdeliveredAforAtheAfirstAresponseAthatAoccursAafterAanAunpredictableAamou
Answers 2025-2026
IndirectAMeasurementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
interviews,AratingAscales,Aquestions,Asurveys
DirectAMeasurementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
observationAofAtheAbehaviorAandArecordingAitAasAitAoccurs
BehavioralADefinitionsA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
operational,AincludesAverbsAdescribingAbehavior,AobjectiveA+Aunambiguous,AdoesAnotArely
AonAinternalAstatesA(happy,Asad),AdoesAnotAuseAlabelsA(badAorAgood)
OperationalA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
describesAwhatAtheAbehaviorAlooksAlikeAsoAtwoAindependentAobserversAcanArecognizeA+Are
cordAtheAsameAbehavior
IndirectAOutcomeARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
measuresAresultsAthatAproducesAanAobservableAproductAinAtheAenvironment.AmainAadvant
ageAisAthatAit'sAeasyAtoAuse
DirectAOutcomeARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
insteadAofArelyingAonAmemoryAdataAisAgatheredAimmediatelyAasAtheAbehaviorAoccursAorAas
AitAproducesAresults
EventARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
behaviorAisAobservedAcontinuouslyAthroughoutAtheAobservationAperiod,AandAeachAinstance
AofAtheAbehaviorAisArecordedAimmediatelyAasAitAoccurs.AMustAmeetAtwoAcriteria:ADoesAtheAb
ehaviorAlookAtheAsameAeveryAtime?ADoesAtheAbehaviorAhaveAaAclearAbeginningAandAend?
FrequencyARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAforAbehaviorsAthatAhaveAaAclearAbeginningAandAend,AtallyAtheAnumberAofAtimesAtheAbe
haviorAoccurs
IntensityA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
magnitudeAorAforceAofAresponseA(onlyArecordAifAthisAisAtheAaspectAofAtheAbehaviorAyouAareAt
ryingAtoAchange)
DurationA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
howAlongAaAbehaviorApersists,AshouldAbeAusedAifAyouAareAtryingAtoAdecreaseAhowAlongAaAb
ehaviorAlasts
LatencyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
timeAthatAoccursAbetweenAtheASDAandAtheAresponseA(ex.AhowAlongAtoArespondAtoAaApeer'sA
question).AYouArecordAthisAwhenAtheAgoalAisAtoAdecreaseAtheAtimeAbetweenASDAandArespo
nse
PartialAIntervalARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
involvesAcheckingAoffAanAintervalAifAtheAbehaviorAoccursAatAANYApointAwithinAtheAintervalA-
AevenAifAitAonlyAoccuredAforA1Asecond.AYouAcanAuseAthisAforAself-
stimulatoryAbehaviorsAorAbehaviorsAthatAdon'tAlookAtheAsameAeveryAtime.AAnAoverexagger
ationAofAtheAbehavior,AyouAuseAthisAmethodAtoAdecreaseAbehavior.
WholeAIntervalARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
involvesAcheckingAoffAtheAintervalAifAtheAbehaviorAoccursAthroughoutAtheAWHOLEAinterval.A
, UseAwhenAitAisAdifficultAtoAtellAwhenAtheAbehaviorAbeginsAorAends,AwhenAitAoccursAatAsuchAa
AhighArateAitAisAdifficultAtoAkeepAcount.AAnAunder-
exaggerationAofAbehavior,AyouAuseAthisAmethodAtoAincreaseAbehavior.
MomentaryATimeASamplingARecordingA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
dataAisAlessArepresentativeAthanAintervals,AlookingAforAaAbehavior'sAoccurrenceAduringAaAs
pecificApartAofAtheAintervalAandArecordingAifAitAisAoccurringAatAthatApreciseAmoment.AEx:Asett
ingAaAtimerAtoAgoAoffAeveryAminuteAforAaA30AminuteAinterval,AonlyAcheckingAforAbehaviorAan
dAmarkingAitAdownAasAtheAtimerAgoesAoff.
ReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-followsAaAbehaviorAthatAincreasesAthatAbehavior
PunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-followsAaAbehaviorAthatAdecreasesAthatAbehavior
PositiveAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-additionAofAaApleasantAstimulus
NegativeAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-removalAofAanAaversiveAstimulus
PositiveAPunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-additionAofAanAaversiveAstimulus
NegativeAPunishmentA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-removalAofAaApleasantAstimulus
MotivatingAOperationsA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
VariablesAinAtheAenvironmentAthatAalterAtheArelativeAvalueAofAaAparticularAreinforcerAatAaApa
rticularAtime.
DeprivationA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
whenAaApersonAhasn'tAhadAaccessAtoAaAparticularAreinforcerAforAaAsignificantAperiodAofAtime
,AmakesAitAmoreApotent
ImmediacyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAtimeAbetweenAtheAoccurrenceAofAtheAbehaviorAandAtheAdeliveryAofAtheAreinforcer.ATheA
moreAimmediate,AtheAmoreAeffective
SizeA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAmagnitudeAofAtheAreinforcerAchangesAtheAeffectiveness.AYouAwantAtoAnotAgiveAtooAmuc
hAorAtheAreinforcerAwillAloseAitsAvalue,AbutAtooAlittleAwillAnotAbeAmotivatingAenough.
ContingencyA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
whenAtheAreinforcerAisAdeliveredAonlyAforAtheAtargetAbehaviorAitAisAmoreAeffective
SchedulesAofAReinforcementA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
specifiesAhowAoftenAparticularAbehaviorsAreceiveAreinforcement
ContinuousAscheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAforAlearningAnewAbehaviors,AtheAbehaviorAisAreinforcedAeveryAtime
IntermittentAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
usedAtoAmaintainAbehaviorAonceAaAskillAisAacquired.ABehaviorAisAonlyAreinforcedAsomeAofAt
heAtime.ATheyAgenerateAhighAresponseAratesAandApreventAbehaviorAfromAstopping.
FixedARatioAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
aAscheduleAofAreinforcementAafterAaAfixedAlevelAofAresponses.AEx:AreinforceAafterAeveryA5t
hAcorrectAresponse.
VariableARatioAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
AnAaverageAnumberAofAresponsesAmustAbeAmadeAbeforeAdeliveryAofAreinforcement.AEx:Asl
otAmachine
FixedAIntervalAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
itAdoesn'tAmatterAhowAmanyAtimesAtheAbehaviorAoccurred,AtheApersonAonlyAgetsAtheAreinfor
cerAonceAtheAresponseAisAgivenAafterAaAfixedAamountAofAtime.AEx:AreceivingAaApaycheck.
VariableAIntervalAScheduleA-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
theAreinforcerAisAdeliveredAforAtheAfirstAresponseAthatAoccursAafterAanAunpredictableAamou