Practice question
Selecting and Implementing Interventions

Observable and measurable intervention goals: Functional assessment before intervention.

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

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Question

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

The team is choosing an intervention for dropping to the floor when demands are presented. Assessment and stakeholder feedback must be considered under observable and measurable intervention goals. What should the BCBA prioritize? The case file includes 3 recent sessions, 2 implementers, and 1 setting.

A
Operationally define the behavior and collect assessment data before choosing intervention in relation to child's dropping to the floor when demands are presented

Correct answer

B
Use a familiar protocol even though it does not address functional assessment before intervention
C
Rely on parent's report alone and stop collecting direct evidence
D
Change the intervention immediately based on the concern alone

Explanation

Answer A

The clue is the combination of caregiver notes plus one direct observation, dropping to the floor when demands are presented, and the required task: Observable and measurable intervention goals. The case file includes 3 recent sessions, 2 implementers, and 1 setting. Operationally define the behavior and collect assessment data before choosing intervention in relation to child's dropping to the floor when demands are presented is best because it answers that clue through functional assessment before intervention 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 caregiver notes plus one direct observation, dropping to the floor when demands are presented, and the required task: Observable and measurable intervention goals. The case file includes 3 recent sessions, 2 implementers, and 1 setting.

Trap
Common trap

A familiar protocol is not enough unless it matches the assessed variables and the current decision question.

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

A familiar protocol is not enough unless it matches the assessed variables and the current decision question.

C
Choice C

Stakeholder input matters, but direct data, context, and integrity checks are still needed for a defensible answer.

D
Choice D

This is weaker because it skips the assessment, integrity, or decision rule needed before changing procedures.

Study tags

Functional assessment before interventionObservable and measurable intervention goalsFBAbaseline

Turn this into a study plan

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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 Selecting and Implementing Interventions. It also includes study tags for Functional assessment before intervention, Observable and measurable intervention goals, FBA, 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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