RBT Exam Study Guide – Unit B: Assessment

The Assessment section of the RBT Task List covers how RBTs assist in identifying client preferences, skills, and the functions of behaviors. While BCBAs lead the assessment process, RBTs play a critical support role by collecting data, preparing materials, and interacting directly with clients.

📌 B‑01: Conduct Preference Assessments

Preference assessments help determine what items or activities are most reinforcing for the client — meaning, what motivates them. Reinforcers are key in shaping new behaviors and maintaining learned skills.

✅ Why It Matters:

Using non-preferred items during teaching often leads to poor engagement. By identifying highly preferred items, RBTs can increase participation and make learning enjoyable.

✅ Types of Preference Assessments:

  1. Single Stimulus (Successive Choice)
    Present one item at a time and record the client’s reaction (e.g., does the client engage with the toy?).
    • Example: You offer a ball. The child plays with it for 10 seconds. You note this as a potential reinforcer.
  2. Paired Choice (Forced Choice)
    Present two items and ask the client to choose one. Repeat with all possible combinations.
    • Example: Present bubbles and a car. The client chooses bubbles. Do this across multiple pairs to find top preferences.
  3. Multiple Stimulus With/Without Replacement (MSW/MSWO)
    Present several items at once.
    • MSW: Replace the chosen item after each trial.
    • MSWO: Do not replace the chosen item, allowing you to rank preferences.
    • Example: Lay out five toys, the client selects one, then you continue with the remaining four.

🧠 Tip: Preference doesn’t always equal reinforcement — an item must actually increase the likelihood of a desired behavior to be a true reinforcer.

📌 B‑02: Assist with Individualized Assessment Procedures

RBTs may assist their BCBA in implementing skills assessments to determine a client’s current abilities and learning needs.

✅ Examples of Assessment Tools:

  • VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
  • ABLLS-R (Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised)
  • AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)

✅ Your Role as an RBT:

  • Prepare materials needed for assessment trials.
  • Follow BCBA instructions to run specific skill probes (e.g., “Touch your head”).
  • Collect and record accurate data based on client responses.
  • Provide neutral responses (no praise or prompting unless instructed).

🧩 Goal: These assessments help create a baseline of current skills and guide individualized treatment planning.

📌 B‑03: Assist with Functional Assessment Procedures

A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) identifies the function of challenging behavior — why a behavior occurs. Knowing this helps the BCBA design effective interventions that address the true cause, not just the symptoms.

✅ The Four Main Functions of Behavior:

  1. Attention – To gain attention from others.
  2. Escape – To avoid or get out of a task or situation.
  3. Access to Tangibles – To get an item or activity.
  4. Automatic/Sensory – Behavior is internally reinforcing (e.g., rocking, hand-flapping).

✅ What RBTs Do in Functional Assessments:

  • Collect ABC data:
    • Antecedent: What happened right before the behavior?
    • Behavior: What exactly did the client do?
    • Consequence: What happened immediately after the behavior?
  • Record detailed, objective observations without interpreting or assuming intent.
  • Assist in trial-based functional analyses when directed (e.g., presenting a demand to observe escape behavior).
  • Ensure safety during episodes of challenging behavior.

🔍 Example: If a child throws materials when a task is presented, and the task is removed, you might suspect the function is escape.

✅ Summary

In Unit B: Assessment, RBTs support the assessment process by:

  • Identifying what motivates the client through preference assessments
  • Gathering accurate data for skill assessments
  • Observing behavior to help determine its function

These responsibilities ensure that behavior plans are individualized, data-driven, and effective. Being precise, consistent, and objective during assessments allows your BCBA to design interventions that truly support the client’s growth.

📝 Ready to test your knowledge? Take the RBT Assessment Review Quiz below to reinforce what you’ve learned in Unit B and ensure you’re confident with preference assessments, skill probes, and functional behavior data!