Domain F
BCBA assessment practice questions for functional and skill-assessment decisions
Assessment questions often test the step before intervention: what information is missing, what method fits the question, and whether the data support a defensible plan.
Assessment decision routine
- 1Operationally define the target behavior before selecting a procedure.
- 2Separate descriptive assessment, functional analysis, preference assessment, and skill assessment decisions.
- 3Check whether the item is asking what to do before intervention, not which intervention sounds familiar.
- 4Use assessment results to choose a replacement response or next data-collection step.
Assessment questions to review first
Review methodRelevant record and history review: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis.
A referral says a child engages in dropping to the floor after instructions, but the only information available is caregiver notes conflict with two direct observations. Across 6 sessions in service week 7, 3 observers recorded 27 minutes of observation in the home program. Before selecting goals or procedures, the BCBA should:
Review focus: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis
Cultural variables in assessment: Internal validity and confounds.
The team wants to teach finishing a three-step task as a replacement for pausing work after corrective feedback, but no one has confirmed what outcome the behavior currently produces. Across 7 sessions in service week 7, one observer recorded 28 minutes of observation in the vocational training room. The BCBA should:
Review focus: Internal validity and confounds
Skill-strength and needs assessments: Preference and skill assessment.
A referral says an adolescent engages in grabbing items from shelves, but the only information available is ABC notes show different consequences across stores. Across 8 sessions in service week 7, 2 observers recorded 29 minutes of observation in the community outing. Before selecting goals or procedures, the BCBA should:
Review focus: Preference and skill assessment
Preference assessments: Preference and skill assessment.
The team wants to teach using a clarification request as a replacement for repeating questions after instructions, but no one has confirmed what outcome the behavior currently produces. Across 4 sessions in service week 7, 3 observers recorded 30 minutes of observation in the telehealth caregiver meeting. The BCBA should:
Review focus: Preference and skill assessment
Descriptive assessments: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis.
A referral says a 5-year-old learner engages in leaving the work area, but the only information available is escape follows the response on most trials, and task difficulty changed last week. Across 5 sessions in service week 7, one observer recorded 31 minutes of observation in the early intervention clinic. Before selecting goals or procedures, the BCBA should:
Review focus: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis
Functional analyses: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis.
The team wants to teach raising a hand before speaking as a replacement for calling out during independent work, but no one has confirmed what outcome the behavior currently produces. Across 6 sessions in service week 7, 2 observers recorded 32 minutes of observation in the elementary classroom. The BCBA should:
Review focus: Descriptive assessment and functional analysis
Assessment-data interpretation for services or referral: Visual analysis and data-based decisions.
A referral says a child engages in dropping to the floor after instructions, but the only information available is caregiver notes conflict with two direct observations. Across 7 sessions in service week 7, 3 observers recorded 33 minutes of observation in the home program. Before selecting goals or procedures, the BCBA should:
Review focus: Visual analysis and data-based decisions
Assessment-data interpretation for socially significant goals: Visual analysis and data-based decisions.
The team wants to teach finishing a three-step task as a replacement for pausing work after corrective feedback, but no one has confirmed what outcome the behavior currently produces. Across 8 sessions in service week 7, one observer recorded 34 minutes of observation in the vocational training room. The BCBA should:
Review focus: Visual analysis and data-based decisions