Experimental Designs
What single-case design demonstrates control by repeatedly introducing and removing the IV?
Reversal Design (ABAB)
A child raises their hand in class and the teacher calls on them. The child continues to raise their hand more frequently. What process is maintaining this behavior?
Positive reinforcement (attention was added, increasing the behavior)
A BCBA counts how many times a child raises their hand during a 30-minute class. What type of measurement is this?
Frequency (we are counting the number of times a behavior occurs)
A behavior analyst selects skills that will help a 7-year-old child succeed at home and school, like following instructions and completing chores. What dimension of ABA is this?
Applied (The behavior targeted is socially significant and improves the client’s life)
A newly certified RBT notices a client presenting with a challenging behavior they haven’t treated before. They review their training materials and consult their supervisor before implementing the plan. Which ethical principle is this?
Maintaining competence (practitioners provide services only within their areas of training and competence, Code 1.06 Maintaining Competence )
What design shows experimental control by staggering intervention across behaviors, settings, or people?
Multiple Baseline Design
A student completes their homework to avoid being scolded by the teacher and completing homework increases in the future. What process is occurring in this scenario?
Negative reinforcement (the aversive stimulus (scolding) was removed, which increased the behavior of completing homework)
A therapist records the total time a child spends on completing a drawing from start to finish. What type of measurement is being used?
Duration (we are recording how long a behavior lasts)
During a session, a therapist counts exactly how many times a child raises their hand instead of just guessing. What dimension of ABA is being emphasized?
Behavioral (We are targeting observable and measurable behaviors)
A behavior analyst notices a billing error where a session was logged incorrectly. They immediately correct the report and notify the supervisor. Which ethical code is being followed?
Being Truthful (1.01, the analyst provides accurate information and corrects errors)
What design rapidly alternates between two or more conditions?
Alternating treatments design
During group therapy, a client begins to shout. The therapist immediately removes the noisy music, and the shouting stops. The client now shouts more often when exposed to similar stimuli. What type of process is occurring?
Negative reinforcement (the removal of the loud noise allowed the client to escape the stimulus, making the screaming more likely to occur in the future)
During a 20-minute session, a technician checks every 30 seconds whether a child is following directions and marks "yes" or "no". What type of measurement is this?
Momentary time sampling (the tech records whether the behavior occurs at specific moments)
A behavior plan includes step-by-step instructions for teaching hand washing, so any trained therapist can implement it consistently. What dimension of ABA is this?
Technological (all procedures are clearly described and replicable)
A behavior analyst notices that a family’s cultural practices influence how they respond to reinforcement strategies. The analyst researches culturally appropriate approaches, consults with colleagues familiar with the family’s background, and modifies the intervention to respect their values. Which ethical code is being followed?
Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity (1.07, the analyst acquires knowledge and skills to provide culturally sensitive services and evaluates their own biases)
What design systematically changes a single variable to demonstrate a functional relation?
Changing criterion design
A child throws toys during clean-up time. The parent removes access to a preferred snack immediately after the throwing, and throwing decreases over time. What type of consequence is this?
Negative punishment (the removal of a preferred item decreased the behavior)
A child is asked to start sorting cards when given a “Go” signal. The therapist records how long it takes from the signal to the first card being placed. What type of measurement is being used?
Latency (we are measuring the time between the instruction (SD) and the initiation of the behavior)
A clinician changes the reinforcement schedule for a child and observes that task completion increases. They demonstrate that the change caused the improvement. What dimension of ABA is this?
Analytic (The behavior analyst shows a functional relation between the intervention and the behavior change)
A BCBA is asked to provide babysitting services to a family member. They explain the risks of the situation, decline, and offer a referral to another professional. Which ethical code is being followed?
Multiple Relationships (1.11, avoiding conflicts of interest that could harm clients)
A researcher wants to evaluate whether two different reading programs improve fluency. One program is applied to words in List A, and the other to words in List B. Performance is measured daily, and neither program is withdrawn. What design is this?
Concurrent multiple-treatment or parallel treatments design (two interventions are applied at the same time to separate, comparable sets of stimuli)
A student quietly hums to themselves during independent work. The teacher notices but does not respond in any way. Over the next few days, the student continues to hum at the same rate. What type of reinforcement or punishment is occurring?
Neither :p (The behavior is neither increasing nor decreasing, and nothing is being added or removed)
A teacher wants to track how many math problems a student completes correctly each day. Instead of watching the student, the teacher collects the worksheets at the end of the session and counts the correct answers. What type of measurement is being used?
Permanent product (The behavior itself isn’t directly observed. Instead, the lasting product, completed worksheets, provides measurable evidence of the behavior)
A therapist uses differential reinforcement to decrease problem behavior, explaining how the procedure is based on operant conditioning principles. What dimension of ABA is this?
Conceptually systematic (interventions are grounded in behavioral theory)
A client’s guardian requests a new behavior intervention plan that the BCBA knows is not evidence-based. The BCBA explains why the plan is not supported, possibly ineffective, and provides an alternative that aligns with behavioral principles and ensures the client’s needs are prioritized. Which ethical code is being followed?
Providing Effective Treatment (2.01, services must be based on evidence and designed to maximize outcomes while protecting clients)