ABA Exam Coach

F.1: Identify relevant sources of information in records (e.g., educational, medical, historical) at the outset of the case.

Free practice questions for this part of the BCBA, with an explanation for every option.

A BCBA receives a referral for a 7-year-old who began hitting his head against hard surfaces about two months ago. Before planning any direct assessment, what should the BCBA do first?
  1. A. Start a standard functional analysis so the behavior's function is known quickly
    Starting a functional analysis before reviewing records could miss a medical cause, such as ear pain, and could expose the child to risk for no reason.
  2. B. Ask the parents only which toys and snacks the child likes so reinforcers are ready
    Preference information is useful later, but it does not tell the BCBA about medical or historical factors that may explain why the behavior started.
  3. C. Review the child's records, including recent medical history, school reports, and prior services, to find possible contributing factors
    Correct. A review of records at intake shows which medical, educational, and historical factors should shape how the assessment is planned.
  4. D. Write a behavior intervention plan based on the referral description and change it later if needed
    Writing an intervention before any assessment goes against function-based, data-driven practice.
While reviewing an adult client's records, a BCBA sees that the client's property destruction started within one week of a change in psychotropic medication. What is the most appropriate next step?
  1. A. Recommend that the client stop the new medication
    Recommending medication changes is outside the scope of behavior-analytic practice.
  2. B. Decide that the behavior is caused by the medication and stop the behavioral assessment
    A timing correlation does not prove the medication caused the behavior. Environmental variables may also be involved, so the assessment should continue.
  3. C. Leave the medication information out, because medication is outside a behavior analyst's scope
    Medical variables can affect behavior. Behavior analysts are expected to consider them and coordinate with medical providers, not ignore them.
  4. D. With consent, contact the prescribing physician about the timing of the change, and record the medication variable during the assessment
    Correct. Coordinating with the physician addresses a possible medical contributor while staying within scope, and tracking the variable helps interpret the assessment data.
A BCBA is starting services for a middle-school student who already has a long special-education history. Which record would most directly show which behavioral interventions have already been tried and how well they worked?
  1. A. The student's report card grades from elementary school
    Grades can hint at academic patterns, but they do not describe which interventions were used or how effective they were.
  2. B. The student's immunization record
    Immunization records are part of the medical history, but they say nothing about past behavioral interventions.
  3. C. Earlier behavior intervention plans and their progress-monitoring data from the school file
    Correct. Past BIPs and their data show what was tried and how it worked, which helps the BCBA avoid repeating failed approaches.
  4. D. A standardized intelligence test score
    An IQ score describes cognitive functioning. It does not record intervention history.

Take the free diagnostic