Practice question
Experimental Design

Comparative, component, and parametric analysis rationales: Single-case design selection.

Original BCBA scenario practice question with answer explanation and wrong-choice notes.

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Question

Difficulty: hard. Skill: analyze. Type: experimental design critique.

A BCBA is evaluating whether an intervention changed leaving the instructional area. A second program change began during the same week. Which concern best reflects comparative, component, and parametric analysis rationales? The case file includes 6 recent sessions, 5 implementers, and 1 setting.

A
Select the single-case design that can demonstrate control without creating impractical or unsafe conditions in relation to learner's leaving the instructional area

Correct answer

B
Continue unchanged and ignore the new contextual information
C
Add a punishment procedure before clarifying function, risk, or feasibility
D
Use the descriptive label as the explanation and treatment target

Explanation

Answer A

The clue is the combination of four sessions of stable baseline data followed by two overlapping intervention points, leaving the instructional area, and the required task: Comparative, component, and parametric analysis rationales. The case file includes 6 recent sessions, 5 implementers, and 1 setting. Select the single-case design that can demonstrate control without creating impractical or unsafe conditions in relation to learner's leaving the instructional area is best because it answers that clue through single-case design selection instead of treating the scenario as a generic behavior problem. On exam items like this, name the decision point first, then eliminate options that rely on one report, a label, a familiar protocol, or an action that skips the relevant data check.

Why this question is hard

Clue
Key scenario clue

The clue is the combination of four sessions of stable baseline data followed by two overlapping intervention points, leaving the instructional area, and the required task: Comparative, component, and parametric analysis rationales. The case file includes 6 recent sessions, 5 implementers, and 1 setting.

Trap
Common trap

Ignoring relevant data or context prevents a defensible behavior-analytic decision.

Next
If you missed it, review Single-case design selection

Then answer a few related scenarios before moving back to broad practice.

Why the other choices are weaker

B
Choice B

Ignoring relevant data or context prevents a defensible behavior-analytic decision.

C
Choice C

A punishment-first response is weaker when less intrusive, function-based, or assessment steps have not been addressed.

D
Choice D

A label is not enough; the decision should be based on observable behavior and relevant variables.

Study tags

Single-case design selectionComparative, component, and parametric analysis rationalesreversal designmultiple baseline

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Related study guides

GuideDistractor patternsUse this if the wrong answer sounded plausible.GuideMissed-question reviewUse this if you want to turn the miss into a study rule.GuideScore plateau guideUse this if similar mistakes keep repeating.

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Question FAQ

What BCBA domain does this question cover?

This practice question is tagged to Experimental Design. It also includes study tags for Single-case design selection, Comparative, component, and parametric analysis rationales, reversal design, multiple baseline.

How should I review this practice question?

Answer the scenario before reading the explanation, compare your reasoning with the correct answer, then review why the distractors are weaker.

Is this an official BACB exam question?

No. This is an original study question for BCBA Scenario Tutor and is not an official BACB exam item.

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