BCAT Certification Test Exam Questions With
Verified Answers
Latency
Elapsed time from the onset of a stimulus to the initiation of a response
Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth
conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions or affect, to failure to initiate or respond to
social interactions.
Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
ranging for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in
eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to lack of facial
expressions and nonverbal communication.
Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships
ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts, to difficulties
in sharing imaginative play or in making friends, to absence of interest in peers.
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or Speech
Often referred to as "Stimming" or "Stims". These are self-initiated, repetitive movements (e.g.
rocking, vocalizations, flapping, spinning, finger-flicking, and/or unusual manipulation of inanimate
objects) that can be vocal or motor. For some individuals with Autism these behaviors can occur at
very high frequencies, sometimes 100+ times per day. Individuals with Autism may engage in these
behaviors for automatic reinforcement purposes, but that isn't always the case (function can vary).
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal
behavior
extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking pattern, greeting rituals,
need to take same route or eat same food every day
highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or
perseverative interests
hyper or hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of environment
apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive
smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement
levels of severity across social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors
Level 3 - "Requiring very substantial support," Level 2 - "Requiring substantial support,"
Level 1 - "Requiring support."
research regarding treatment intensity
Results indicate a strong relationship between treatment intensity and mastery of learning objectives,
where higher treatment intensity predicted greater progress.
, early intensive behavioral intervention research
EIBI is a type of Applied Behavioral Analysis focused on children under five years of age. New research
has shown that while intensive behavioral interventions work well with all children, children starting
before the age of two were likely to make the most significant gains. For EIBI to be successful children
are provided with 20 to 40 hours of one-on-one therapy and families are also incorporated into the
process so that young children get as much exposure as possible.
foundational autism research
Dr. Margaret Bauman was the first researcher to discover the anatomical differences between a
typical brain and a brain with autism alongside her colleague, Dr. Thomas Kemper. Their discovery
demonstrated for the first time that autism was related to abnormalities of brain development and
not to poor parenting. Until their discovery, autism had actually been blamed on the "refrigerator
mother" - a term that suspected the child's disability was a result of his/her parent's emotional
coldness.
Distinguishing between evidence-based interventions -
Evidence-based practice involves the integration of research findings with: Professional judgment and
data-based clinical decision-making, Values and preferences of families, Assessment and
Improvement of the capacity of the delivery system to implement the intervention with a high degree
of procedural accuracy
Positive reinforcement
an event in which a stimulus occurs contingent on a response, resulting in the increase in future
probability of that response
Negative reinforcement
Behavior increases or maintains the same as a function of the contingent removal of the stimulus
Positive punishment
An event in which a stimulus (typically unpleasant) occurs contingent on a response, resulting in a
decrease in the future probability of that response
Negative punishment
The removal or reduction of positive reinforcers as a consequence of a response, resulting in the
reduction in the of that response
Reinforcer
something used to motivate a learner to complete a task, or engage in a behavior.
Conditioned reinforcer
a stimulus that initially lacked reinforcing properties, but has acquired those by being paired with
primary or strong secondary reinforcers
Unconditioned reinforcer
stimulus that is reinforcing in the absence of any prior learning
Verified Answers
Latency
Elapsed time from the onset of a stimulus to the initiation of a response
Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth
conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions or affect, to failure to initiate or respond to
social interactions.
Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
ranging for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in
eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to lack of facial
expressions and nonverbal communication.
Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships
ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts, to difficulties
in sharing imaginative play or in making friends, to absence of interest in peers.
Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or Speech
Often referred to as "Stimming" or "Stims". These are self-initiated, repetitive movements (e.g.
rocking, vocalizations, flapping, spinning, finger-flicking, and/or unusual manipulation of inanimate
objects) that can be vocal or motor. For some individuals with Autism these behaviors can occur at
very high frequencies, sometimes 100+ times per day. Individuals with Autism may engage in these
behaviors for automatic reinforcement purposes, but that isn't always the case (function can vary).
Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal
behavior
extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking pattern, greeting rituals,
need to take same route or eat same food every day
highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or
perseverative interests
hyper or hypo reactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of environment
apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive
smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement
levels of severity across social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors
Level 3 - "Requiring very substantial support," Level 2 - "Requiring substantial support,"
Level 1 - "Requiring support."
research regarding treatment intensity
Results indicate a strong relationship between treatment intensity and mastery of learning objectives,
where higher treatment intensity predicted greater progress.
, early intensive behavioral intervention research
EIBI is a type of Applied Behavioral Analysis focused on children under five years of age. New research
has shown that while intensive behavioral interventions work well with all children, children starting
before the age of two were likely to make the most significant gains. For EIBI to be successful children
are provided with 20 to 40 hours of one-on-one therapy and families are also incorporated into the
process so that young children get as much exposure as possible.
foundational autism research
Dr. Margaret Bauman was the first researcher to discover the anatomical differences between a
typical brain and a brain with autism alongside her colleague, Dr. Thomas Kemper. Their discovery
demonstrated for the first time that autism was related to abnormalities of brain development and
not to poor parenting. Until their discovery, autism had actually been blamed on the "refrigerator
mother" - a term that suspected the child's disability was a result of his/her parent's emotional
coldness.
Distinguishing between evidence-based interventions -
Evidence-based practice involves the integration of research findings with: Professional judgment and
data-based clinical decision-making, Values and preferences of families, Assessment and
Improvement of the capacity of the delivery system to implement the intervention with a high degree
of procedural accuracy
Positive reinforcement
an event in which a stimulus occurs contingent on a response, resulting in the increase in future
probability of that response
Negative reinforcement
Behavior increases or maintains the same as a function of the contingent removal of the stimulus
Positive punishment
An event in which a stimulus (typically unpleasant) occurs contingent on a response, resulting in a
decrease in the future probability of that response
Negative punishment
The removal or reduction of positive reinforcers as a consequence of a response, resulting in the
reduction in the of that response
Reinforcer
something used to motivate a learner to complete a task, or engage in a behavior.
Conditioned reinforcer
a stimulus that initially lacked reinforcing properties, but has acquired those by being paired with
primary or strong secondary reinforcers
Unconditioned reinforcer
stimulus that is reinforcing in the absence of any prior learning
