ABA RBT Exam: Antecedents, Consequences, Reinforcement (Positive, Negative,
Unconditioned, Conditioned), Punishment (Positive, Negative), Extinction,
Differential Reinforcement (DRA, DRI, DRO, DRH), Functional Behavior
Assessment (FBA), Functional Communication Training (FCT), Discrete Trial,
Chaining (Forward, Backward, Total Task), Task Analysis, Prompting & Fading,
Shaping, Modeling, Imitation, High-p Requests, Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals,
Echoics, Autoclitics, Naturalistic Teaching, Maintenance & Generalization,
Momentary Time Sampling, Whole & Partial Interval Recording, Preference
Assessments (MSW, MSWO, Paired Choice, Free Operant), Contingency-
Independent Antecedent Strategies, Social Validity, and Data-Based Decision
Making Exam Questions Verified and Provided with Complete A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Antecedent
an environmental condition or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behavior of
interest.
Ex. of Antecedent
Drew becomes hungry then goes to the kitchen to get food. The antecedent, in this case, is
Drew becoming hungry.
,Autoclitic
a term describing verbal behavior about the speaker that functions as a reinforcer or MO for
additional verbal behavior.
Ex. of Autoclitic
I heard Susie use an autoclitic during session when she said, "Maybe the puzzle piece is under
the table." She then looked and said, "Yep, found it." Maybe would be classified as the autoclitic
as it served as an MO for her following actions and additional verbal behavior.
Backward chaining
A teaching method where the behavior is being learned by the teacher completing
all the steps of the chain up until the last step and having the learner completed it with prompts
if
needed. When the learner shows competence of the last step being learned, the teacher will
again chain
the behavior stopping at the second to the last step to allow the learner to complete it. This will
continue down the chain until the learner can complete the behavior independently.
Ex. of backward chaining
Mike is learning his street address. The teacher is using backward chaining by stating the
whole address but leaving of the zip code so that Mike can respond with the zip code. Once he
learns
the zip code, the teacher than stops once she gets to the state allowing Mike to fill in the state
and zip
code. The teacher continues to do so until Mike independently states his full address.
, Behavior
everything a living organism does. A behavior must be something which can be observed and
measured in the organism's environment.
Ex. of behavior
The BCBA told you to track Joey's aggressive behavior. This was defined as: any time Joey
bit another person. Biting is the behavior. It is observable and measurable and occurs in the
environment.
Chaining
The reinforcement of successive elements of a behavior chain
Ex. of chaining
If Jane is learning to tie her shoe using chaining she will receive reinforcement after every
step she completes in the chain - putting her shoe on, grabbing the laces, making the loops, etc.
Conditioned reinforcement
is a reinforcer that is paired with a primary reinforcer, so that this item
becomes as reinforcing or replaces the unconditioned (primary) reinforcer and holds the same
impact.
Unconditioned, Conditioned), Punishment (Positive, Negative), Extinction,
Differential Reinforcement (DRA, DRI, DRO, DRH), Functional Behavior
Assessment (FBA), Functional Communication Training (FCT), Discrete Trial,
Chaining (Forward, Backward, Total Task), Task Analysis, Prompting & Fading,
Shaping, Modeling, Imitation, High-p Requests, Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals,
Echoics, Autoclitics, Naturalistic Teaching, Maintenance & Generalization,
Momentary Time Sampling, Whole & Partial Interval Recording, Preference
Assessments (MSW, MSWO, Paired Choice, Free Operant), Contingency-
Independent Antecedent Strategies, Social Validity, and Data-Based Decision
Making Exam Questions Verified and Provided with Complete A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Antecedent
an environmental condition or stimulus change existing or occurring prior to a behavior of
interest.
Ex. of Antecedent
Drew becomes hungry then goes to the kitchen to get food. The antecedent, in this case, is
Drew becoming hungry.
,Autoclitic
a term describing verbal behavior about the speaker that functions as a reinforcer or MO for
additional verbal behavior.
Ex. of Autoclitic
I heard Susie use an autoclitic during session when she said, "Maybe the puzzle piece is under
the table." She then looked and said, "Yep, found it." Maybe would be classified as the autoclitic
as it served as an MO for her following actions and additional verbal behavior.
Backward chaining
A teaching method where the behavior is being learned by the teacher completing
all the steps of the chain up until the last step and having the learner completed it with prompts
if
needed. When the learner shows competence of the last step being learned, the teacher will
again chain
the behavior stopping at the second to the last step to allow the learner to complete it. This will
continue down the chain until the learner can complete the behavior independently.
Ex. of backward chaining
Mike is learning his street address. The teacher is using backward chaining by stating the
whole address but leaving of the zip code so that Mike can respond with the zip code. Once he
learns
the zip code, the teacher than stops once she gets to the state allowing Mike to fill in the state
and zip
code. The teacher continues to do so until Mike independently states his full address.
, Behavior
everything a living organism does. A behavior must be something which can be observed and
measured in the organism's environment.
Ex. of behavior
The BCBA told you to track Joey's aggressive behavior. This was defined as: any time Joey
bit another person. Biting is the behavior. It is observable and measurable and occurs in the
environment.
Chaining
The reinforcement of successive elements of a behavior chain
Ex. of chaining
If Jane is learning to tie her shoe using chaining she will receive reinforcement after every
step she completes in the chain - putting her shoe on, grabbing the laces, making the loops, etc.
Conditioned reinforcement
is a reinforcer that is paired with a primary reinforcer, so that this item
becomes as reinforcing or replaces the unconditioned (primary) reinforcer and holds the same
impact.
