RBT Practice Questions (2026) — Free Sample Questions with Answers

Answer: B

1. Baseline (sessions 1–5): 9–12, no clear direction.
2. Intervention (sessions 6–12): 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 → steady downward path.
3. Conclusion: decreasing trend in the intervention phase.

Increasing trend: An increasing trend would show the data path rising; here each intervention session is lower than the one before.

Decreasing trend: Correct. In the intervention phase the data fall steadily from 9 to 3, a decreasing trend with low variability.

Stable (no trend): A stable path stays at about the same value; the intervention values drop by about 1 per session.

Variable (no clear trend): The points form a clear, steady downward line, so the data are not variable without a trend.

Trend is the overall direction of the data path within a phase: increasing, decreasing or stable.

Answer: B

1. 1. 1 hour 20 minutes = 60 + 20 = 80 minutes.
2. 2. 24 protests ÷ 80 min = 0.3 per minute.
3. 3. 0.3 × 60 = 18 protests per hour.

0.3: This is the rate per minute (24 ÷ 80); the graph uses responses per hour.

18: Correct. 1 hour 20 minutes = 80 minutes; 24 ÷ 80 = 0.3 per minute; 0.3 × 60 = 18 vocal protests per hour.

20: This treats 1 hour 20 minutes as 1.2 hours (24 ÷ 1.2); 20 minutes is one third of an hour, so the session is about 1.33 hours.

24: This is the raw count; because the session lasted longer than 1 hour, the count must be converted to a rate.

Rate = count ÷ observation time; convert the time to the unit on the graph before dividing (minutes are not decimal hours).

Answer: D

Latency recording: Latency starts at an antecedent stimulus, such as an instruction presented to the client; setting the fork down is the end of the client's own previous response, not an antecedent.

Duration recording: Duration times how long a response lasts; the pause is not a response but the gap between two responses (bites).

Frequency recording: Frequency would count the number of bites; the RBT is recording elapsed time between them.

Interresponse time: Correct. Interresponse time (IRT) is the time between two successive responses, here from the end of one bite (fork set down) to the start of the next. Longer IRTs show slower eating.

If the clock starts at one response (or its end) and stops at the next response, it is IRT; if it starts at an antecedent such as an instruction, it is latency.

Answer: D

Play with the client briefly to keep rapport, then return to reading.: Attention for a different behavior changes the condition, so the data no longer test whether leg-slapping is maintained by attention.

Say "Not right now" and point the client toward the toys in the room.: Tempting because it is brief, but any reply is attention that the condition reserves for the target behavior only.

End the session and tell the supervisor that the condition was compromised.: Nothing has compromised the session yet; ending it loses data the supervisor needs.

Keep reading, giving brief concern only after the client slaps his leg.: Correct. In the attention condition attention is delivered only contingent on the target behavior; following the supervisor's directions exactly keeps the condition a valid test.

When running FA conditions, deliver consequences only as specified; extra attention, even brief, contaminates the condition.

Answer: C

1. 1. Rank each item by its selection position in each administration (1st = 1).
2. 2. Bubbles: 2, 1, 1 → mean ≈ 1.3. Crackers: 1, 2, 3 → mean 2.0. Spinning top: 3, 4, 2 → mean 3.0. Toy car: 4, 3, 5 → mean 4.0. Music book: 5, 5, 4 → mean ≈ 4.7.
3. 3. The lowest mean rank is bubbles, so bubbles are the most preferred item.

Crackers: Crackers were chosen first only in Administration 1; their average rank (1 + 2 + 3) ÷ 3 = 2 is behind bubbles.

Spinning top: Looks only at the latest administration's second pick; across all three runs its average rank is 3.

Bubbles: Correct. Bubbles have the best (lowest) average rank: (2 + 1 + 1) ÷ 3 ≈ 1.3, ahead of crackers at 2.0.

Crackers and bubbles are equally preferred: Both appear in the top two each time, but bubbles were chosen first twice and crackers once, so their ranks are not equal.

Summarize MSWO results across administrations (e.g., mean selection rank) rather than relying on a single run or a single first pick.

Answer: C

Hand over the paper and praise the client for using a word to ask.: Reinforces the one-word form and misses the planned target of three-word requests.

Tell the client to return to the seat and ask again in a full sentence.: Sends the client away and loses the motivation that makes the teaching opportunity work.

Hold the paper briefly and model "I want paper" for the client to repeat.: Correct. In incidental teaching the RBT uses the client's initiation to prompt the more elaborate target response, then delivers the requested item when the client imitates it.

Withhold the paper until the client says the phrase without any help.: Withholding with no prompt risks frustration and gives no way to learn the new form.

Use the client's initiation to prompt the target response, then give the requested item as reinforcement.

Answer: A

"Touch green" with an immediate point to the green card: Correct. Trial 5 was a no-response, so the error-correction rule calls for the same SD with an immediate prompt, exactly as trials 2–3 handled "blue." The unprompted transfer trial comes on trial 7.

"Touch green" with no prompt and a 5-second wait: Wrong order: this is the transfer trial, which follows the prompted trial, not the error.

"Touch red," a mastered target, before green again: Inserting a mastered target is not part of this program's error-correction rule.

"Touch blue" with no prompt, to recheck trial 4: Blue was already corrected and transferred on trials 3–4; the current error is green.

Follow the written error-correction sequence: error → same SD with an immediate prompt → same SD unprompted (transfer).

Answer: B

Positive reinforcement: Sibling concept: positive reinforcement adds a stimulus after the response. Nothing is added here; work is taken away.

Negative reinforcement: Correct. Negative reinforcement removes a stimulus (the remaining work) contingent on a response, and the response increases. Accurate work removes two problems and accurate work has gone up.

Negative punishment: Sibling concept: negative punishment also removes something, but it removes a preferred stimulus and the behavior decreases. Here the removed stimulus is work and the behavior increases.

Positive punishment: Wrong principle: positive punishment adds a stimulus and decreases the behavior; accurate work increased.

Classify by two questions: was a stimulus added or removed, and did the behavior increase or decrease? Removal plus an increase is negative reinforcement.

Answer: D

Call the supervisor and ask how to handle the head banging.: Calling the supervisor is important, but it comes after the immediate safety steps the plan already describes.

Record the time and form of the head banging for the incident report.: Documenting comes after safety; recording first delays protecting the client.

Move bystanders away and wait for the client to calm down alone.: Clearing the area may be one step in a plan, but waiting does not protect the client from injury.

Follow the steps in the written crisis plan to keep the client safe.: Correct. In a crisis the RBT follows the client's written crisis plan and trained procedures to ensure safety first. Sequence: ensure safety (crisis plan) → report to the supervisor → document.

In a crisis, the written crisis plan and safety come first; reporting and documentation follow.

Answer: C

Pause brushing to comfort the client, then resume once calm.: Pausing removes the routine right after screaming, which reinforces escape.

Step back and ignore the screaming for a minute until it stops.: Planned ignoring is extinction for attention, not escape; stepping back also ends the routine, so screaming still produces escape.

Keep guiding the brushing routine as written, without pausing it.: Correct. Escape extinction means the screaming no longer ends or delays the demand, so the RBT continues the routine as the plan specifies.

End brushing with a sticker for trying, and try again tomorrow.: Ending the routine delivers escape (plus a reward) right after screaming.

For escape-maintained behavior, extinction means the demand continues; ignoring the behavior is extinction only for attention.

Answer: A

DRI: Correct. Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior (DRI) reinforces a behavior that cannot physically occur at the same time as the problem behavior. Holding a toy with both hands makes hitting with the hands impossible.

DRA: DRA is the near sibling: it reinforces an alternative that is not necessarily physically incompatible. Because holding the toy with both hands rules out hitting, DRI is the more precise answer.

DRO: DRO is wrong: the token depends on a specific behavior (holding the toy), not just on the absence of hitting.

DRL: DRL is wrong: no low rate of hitting is being reinforced.

Ask whether the reinforced behavior and the problem behavior can happen at the same time; if they cannot, it is DRI.

Answer: C

Honor her request and leave the change out of reports until she sees the doctor.: Respecting the caregiver matters, but withholding a variable that affects treatment undermines accurate reporting.

Agree, then note the change in the session note without telling the supervisor.: Misleads the caregiver and still does not report the change to the supervisor in a timely way.

Explain kindly that such changes go to the supervisor, then report it.: Correct. The supervisor is part of the treatment team, so sharing this necessary information is appropriate; the RBT is honest with the caregiver and then reports it (TCO E.3; RBT Ethics Code (2.0) 1.01, 2.10).

Encourage her to restart the medication until she can talk with the doctor.: Advising about medication is outside RBT scope, and it still leaves the change unreported.

Variables that affect progress go to the supervisor; be transparent with the family about that.

Answer: A

Tell the supervisor about the discrepancy and ask how to proceed.: Correct. A data irregularity is a reason to seek clinical direction promptly; the supervisor decides whether to check definitions, observe sessions or retrain staff.

Meet with the other RBT and agree between you on how to apply the definition.: Collaborative, but settling the definition between peers can change the supervisor's operational definition and leaves questionable data in this week's decision.

Graph only your own sessions until the discrepancy has been explained.: Dropping another RBT's data from the graph is a data decision outside RBT scope.

Note the discrepancy in your session note and keep collecting data as usual.: Documenting is fine, but it does not get direction to fix data the team relies on.

Data irregularities go to the supervisor first; the RBT does not resolve them alone.

Answer: B

Reply with a short thank-you that does not mention the client's name or services.: Even a reply that omits names publicly confirms that the RBT serves the child in the photo; under 2.09 the RBT does not share or confirm client information on social media.

Not respond to the post publicly, and let the supervisor know it was posted.: Correct. Any public reply or reaction confirms the service relationship online (RBT Ethics Code (2.0) 2.09); the supervisor can follow up with the family, who are free to share their own information.

"Like" the post without commenting, since the caregiver chose to share the photo.: A "like" is still a public acknowledgment that links the RBT to the client.

Comment on the post asking the caregiver to remove the photo of the client.: The request itself, posted publicly, confirms the relationship; this is best handled privately through the supervisor.

On social media, the RBT does not confirm a client relationship in any form, even when the family posts first; tell the supervisor instead.

Answer: D

Increase the total supervision this month to at least 10 hours of contact.: The minimum is 5% of service hours; 5 of 100 hours already meets it, so 10% is not required.

Replace the video meetings with face-to-face meetings in the same room.: Real-time video counts as a face-to-face contact; only phone or email does not.

Reduce each group meeting to two RBTs instead of five.: Small-group contacts may include 2–10 RBTs, so a group of five is allowed.

Add an individual contact that includes observing the RBT with a client.: Correct. 5 hours ÷ 100 hours = 5%, which meets the minimum, and real-time video is allowed. But each month needs at least one individual contact and at least one contact with observation of service delivery; all five meetings were group graph reviews (RBT Handbook).

Monthly supervision needs at least 5% of service hours and at least two real-time contacts, with at least one individual contact and at least one observation of the RBT delivering services.