ABA Exam Coach

H.7: Make data-based decisions about the effectiveness of the intervention and the need for modification.

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

Baseline data on a student's elopement are stable at 8–10 per day. After intervention begins, elopement drops immediately to 4 per day and keeps decreasing over 6 sessions with low variability. What is the most appropriate decision?
  1. A. Add a second intervention to speed up progress
    Adding a component confounds the analysis and isn't warranted when progress is steady.
  2. B. Continue the current intervention and keep monitoring
    Correct. An immediate level change and a continuing therapeutic trend support keeping the intervention in place.
  3. C. Return to baseline right away to confirm the effect
    Withdrawing an effective treatment just to confirm it isn't necessary for clinical decisions and may not be appropriate.
  4. D. Change to a different intervention, since elopement hasn't yet reached zero
    The data show a clear improving trend. Changing an effective intervention now would be premature.
After 8 intervention sessions, a client's rate of correct manding varies between 2 and 9 per session with no clear trend. Baseline averaged 5 per session. Integrity data are high. What is the best course of action?
  1. A. Investigate the sources of variability and modify the intervention, since the data show no meaningful improvement over baseline
    Correct. Highly variable data overlapping baseline, with no trend, despite good integrity, means the intervention isn't producing change and should be examined and revised.
  2. B. Discontinue data collection until the client's behavior stabilizes
    Stopping data collection prevents data-based decisions and goes against ongoing evaluation.
  3. C. Continue unchanged, because a few sessions above baseline mean it is working
    Occasional high points within highly overlapping data don't show an intervention effect.
  4. D. Change the mastery criterion so the client meets it sooner
    Lowering the criterion hides the lack of progress instead of addressing it.
A behavior targeted for increase shows a steady ascending trend across 6 baseline sessions. When the intervention starts, the data continue rising at the same slope with no change in level. What can the BCBA conclude?
  1. A. The data don't show an intervention effect, since the improvement is an extension of the baseline trend
    Correct. Without a change in level or trend from baseline, the change can't be attributed to the intervention. Starting intervention during an improving baseline weakens the interpretation.
  2. B. The intervention is clearly effective because the behavior keeps increasing
    Continued improvement at the same rate as baseline suggests something other than the intervention is responsible.
  3. C. The intervention made the behavior worse
    The behavior is still improving. Nothing suggests the intervention made it worse.
  4. D. The intervention should be withdrawn immediately
    Nothing indicates harm, so immediate withdrawal isn't necessarily called for. The point is that effectiveness can't be claimed.

Take the free diagnostic