BCAT Exam Study Sheet – 2025/2026 Updated
Study Guide & Practice Questions | 100% Pass
Guarantee
Deficits in Social Emotional Reciprocity - correct answerRange from abnormal social
approach and failure of normal back and forth conversations; to reduced sharing of
interests, emotions, or affect: to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction - correct
answerManifested by absent, reduced, or atypical use of eye contact (relative to cultural
norms), gestures, facial expressions, body orientation, or speech intonation.
Deficits in developing maintaining and understanding relationships - correct
answerRanging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social context; to
difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in
peers
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech - correct
answerSimple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia,
idiosyncratic phrases (language with a private meaning; only makes sense to those
familiar with the situation where the phrases came from)
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal
or non-verbal behavior - correct answerExtreme distress at small changes, difficulties
with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat
same food everyday
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus - correct
answerStrong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively
circumscribed or perseverative interest
Hyper or Hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of
environment - correct answerApparent indifference to pain/ temperature, adverse
response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects,
visual fascination with lights or movement.
Levels of severity across social communication and restrictive, repetitive behaviors -
correct answerLevel 1 Requiring support
Level 2 Requiring substantial support
Level 3 Requiring very substantial support
, Postive Reinforcement - correct answerSally took off her shoe independently yesterday,
her mother clapped her hands and said, "Way to go Sally!" Sally took her shoes off
independently again today. The clapping and "way to go" were the postive reinforcer.
Negative Reinforcement - correct answerWhen you start your car, an annoying noise is
sounded. The noise turns off when you put your seatbelt on. The next time you get in
the car you put your seatbelt on before you start the car, so you do not hear the noise.
Postive Punishment - correct answerJose hit Lisa because he wanted her to play with
him. The teacher reprimands Jose and told him not to hit her again. Jose then asked
Lisa to play with him the next day.
Research regarding treatment intensity - correct answerComprehensive undertaking
that involves the child's entire family and a team of professionals. One-on-one treatment
30-40 hours per week
Early intensive behavioral intervention research - correct answerABA (Applied Behavior
Analysis) Early intensive intervention helps all ages, but those who start before age 2
were most likely to make dramatic gains.
Foundational Autism Research - correct answerIAN (Interactive Autism Network) a
project collecting information online from families of children with autism, ABA which
may help build the foundation for later social skills training
Difference between evidence-based interventions vs. non-evidence based interventions
- correct answer-Evidence-based: a body of formal research indicates the effectiveness
of the treatment. (occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA, social skills therapy) -
Non-evidence based: has not been proven effective ( Hippo therapy (horse-back riding),
GFCF diet (Gluten free, Casein free)
Negative Punishment - correct answerJake loves PE. He spits at the teacher during PE
class. The teacher sent him to stand in the hall. The next PE class Jake did not spit.
Positive Reinforcement - correct answerA type of reinforcement in which the
Presentation of the stimulus is contingent upon the response, resulting in an Increase in
the future probability of that response.
Negative reinforcement - correct answerA type of reinforcement in which Removal of a
stimulus is contingent on a response, resulting in an Increase in the future probablity of
that response.
Positive Punishment - correct answerA type of punishment in which stimulus
Presentaion is contingent on a response resulting in the Decrease of the future
probability of that response.
Study Guide & Practice Questions | 100% Pass
Guarantee
Deficits in Social Emotional Reciprocity - correct answerRange from abnormal social
approach and failure of normal back and forth conversations; to reduced sharing of
interests, emotions, or affect: to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction - correct
answerManifested by absent, reduced, or atypical use of eye contact (relative to cultural
norms), gestures, facial expressions, body orientation, or speech intonation.
Deficits in developing maintaining and understanding relationships - correct
answerRanging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social context; to
difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in
peers
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech - correct
answerSimple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia,
idiosyncratic phrases (language with a private meaning; only makes sense to those
familiar with the situation where the phrases came from)
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal
or non-verbal behavior - correct answerExtreme distress at small changes, difficulties
with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat
same food everyday
Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus - correct
answerStrong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively
circumscribed or perseverative interest
Hyper or Hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of
environment - correct answerApparent indifference to pain/ temperature, adverse
response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects,
visual fascination with lights or movement.
Levels of severity across social communication and restrictive, repetitive behaviors -
correct answerLevel 1 Requiring support
Level 2 Requiring substantial support
Level 3 Requiring very substantial support
, Postive Reinforcement - correct answerSally took off her shoe independently yesterday,
her mother clapped her hands and said, "Way to go Sally!" Sally took her shoes off
independently again today. The clapping and "way to go" were the postive reinforcer.
Negative Reinforcement - correct answerWhen you start your car, an annoying noise is
sounded. The noise turns off when you put your seatbelt on. The next time you get in
the car you put your seatbelt on before you start the car, so you do not hear the noise.
Postive Punishment - correct answerJose hit Lisa because he wanted her to play with
him. The teacher reprimands Jose and told him not to hit her again. Jose then asked
Lisa to play with him the next day.
Research regarding treatment intensity - correct answerComprehensive undertaking
that involves the child's entire family and a team of professionals. One-on-one treatment
30-40 hours per week
Early intensive behavioral intervention research - correct answerABA (Applied Behavior
Analysis) Early intensive intervention helps all ages, but those who start before age 2
were most likely to make dramatic gains.
Foundational Autism Research - correct answerIAN (Interactive Autism Network) a
project collecting information online from families of children with autism, ABA which
may help build the foundation for later social skills training
Difference between evidence-based interventions vs. non-evidence based interventions
- correct answer-Evidence-based: a body of formal research indicates the effectiveness
of the treatment. (occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA, social skills therapy) -
Non-evidence based: has not been proven effective ( Hippo therapy (horse-back riding),
GFCF diet (Gluten free, Casein free)
Negative Punishment - correct answerJake loves PE. He spits at the teacher during PE
class. The teacher sent him to stand in the hall. The next PE class Jake did not spit.
Positive Reinforcement - correct answerA type of reinforcement in which the
Presentation of the stimulus is contingent upon the response, resulting in an Increase in
the future probability of that response.
Negative reinforcement - correct answerA type of reinforcement in which Removal of a
stimulus is contingent on a response, resulting in an Increase in the future probablity of
that response.
Positive Punishment - correct answerA type of punishment in which stimulus
Presentaion is contingent on a response resulting in the Decrease of the future
probability of that response.
