Question

Difficulty: medium. Skill: apply. Type: applied scenario.

An intervention reduces dropping to the floor after instructions during clinic sessions, but parent cannot use it during daily routines. Across 6 sessions in service week 10, 3 observers recorded 57 minutes of observation in the home program. Before continuing unchanged, the BCBA should:

A
Classify the contingency by the future effect on behavior and whether a stimulus is added or removed.

Correct answer

B
Remove supports abruptly once the graph improves for two sessions.
C
Use the most restrictive option first because it may produce the fastest visible change.
D
Keep a plan that works in sessions even though the people implementing it cannot do it reliably.

Content quality status

machine gate passed
Orig
Original study item

This question was created for BCBA Scenario Tutor. It is not an official, leaked, or copied BACB exam question.

Chk
Automated validation passed

The item includes an answer key, explanation, wrong-choice notes, domain label, concept tags, and source notes. Automated checks cover structure, coverage, and consistency only. No named, credential-verifiable BCBA external review has occurred, and this is not a clinical or exam-validity certification.

Date
Last machine check: 2026-07-05

Source note: Original v2 item upgraded from internal task/concept map; not copied from official or commercial question banks.

Quick review facts

A concise review block for candidates and answer engines.

Fact
What this question tests

Mitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment: Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change. in Selecting and Implementing Interventions, with study tags for Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change, Mitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement.

Fact
Best review move

Before reading the explanation, choose an answer and name the scenario clue. If you missed it, review Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change and try similar questions in this domain.

Fact
Content boundary

This is an original study item for BCBA Scenario Tutor, not an official BACB exam question or a copied exam item.

Explanation

Answer A

The decision point is: Does the answer choose a feasible, least intrusive, function-based intervention and monitor implementation? This item specifically tests Mitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment through a applied-client-service-scenario format. The key clue is in the stem facts: An intervention reduces dropping to the floor after instructions during clinic sessions, but parent cannot use it during daily routines. Across 6 sessions in service week 10, 3 observers recorded 57 minutes of observation in the home program. Before continuing unchanged, the BCBA should: Answer A is strongest because it follows this rule: Classify the contingency by the future effect on behavior and whether a stimulus is added or removed. It fits the source-backed rule without announcing that rule in the stem. The tempting mistake is to choose a shortcut before the scenario's prerequisite is satisfied. This choice weakens the data basis for the decision. A defensible answer must check whether the measurement, observation, or visual-analysis evidence supports the next step. Exam move: name the missing prerequisite first, then eliminate answers that jump to a label, a familiar procedure, a single data point, or an undocumented action.

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Why this question is hard

Clue
Key scenario clue

An intervention reduces dropping to the floor after instructions during clinic sessions, but parent cannot use it during daily routines. Across 6 sessions in service week 10, 3 observers recorded 57 minutes of observation in the home program. Before continuing unchanged, the BCBA should:

Trap
Common trap

This choice weakens the data basis for the decision. A defensible answer must check whether the measurement, observation, or visual-analysis evidence supports the next step.

Next
If you missed it, review Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change

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

Exam-style review notes

Structured study guidance maintained by Bifang Studio's internal editors and automated quality checks.

v4-machine-content-gate
Rule
Mitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment: Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change

Does the answer choose a feasible, least intrusive, function-based intervention and monitor implementation?

Clue
What the stem gives you

An intervention reduces dropping to the floor after instructions during clinic sessions, but parent cannot use it during daily routines. Across 6 sessions in service week 10, 3 observers recorded 57 minutes of observation in the home program. Before continuing unchanged, the BCBA should:

Trap
Common trap

Positive punishment for an increasing behavior. This often shows up as negative means bad or punitive..

Fix
If you missed this item

Rewrite the miss as a rule: "When I see Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change, I must identify the relevant evidence before choosing the action." Then answer two related H domain questions without reading explanations first.

Next
Next drill

Practice 3 more questions tagged to Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change, then explain why each wrong answer is weaker before moving back to mixed practice.

Source-aware internal editorial maintenance using src-bacb-bcba-tco-6ed for study organization; not an official BACB item and not externally reviewed by a named, verifiable BCBA.

Why the other choices are weaker

B
Choice B

This choice weakens the data basis for the decision. A defensible answer must check whether the measurement, observation, or visual-analysis evidence supports the next step.

C
Choice C

This choice moves too quickly toward a more intrusive response. The better answer checks function, risk, feasibility, and less intrusive options first.

D
Choice D

This choice is weaker because it does not resolve the key prerequisite in the scenario: an intervention reduces dropping to the floor after instructions during clinic sessions, but parent cannot use it during daily routines. Across 6 sessions in service week 10, 3 observers recorded 57 minutes of observation in the home program. Before continuing unchanged, the BCBA should:

Study tags

Reinforcement and punishment by behavior changeMitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishmentpositive reinforcementnegative reinforcement

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Question FAQ

What BCBA domain does this question cover?

This practice question is tagged to Selecting and Implementing Interventions. It also includes study tags for Reinforcement and punishment by behavior change, Mitigating unwanted effects of reinforcement, extinction, and punishment, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement.

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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Machine quality gate

Published by Bifang Studio. Content is maintained by internal editors with automated structure, coverage, and consistency checks. No content has been externally reviewed by a named, credential-verifiable BCBA; these checks do not certify clinical quality or exam validity.