ABA Exam Coach

F.6: Design and evaluate functional analyses.

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

In a standard analog functional analysis (Iwata et al., 1982/1994), which condition serves as the control condition?
  1. A. Play condition
    Correct. In the play condition, preferred items are freely available, attention is delivered noncontingently, there are no demands, and problem behavior has no programmed consequences. This keeps establishing operations low and makes it the comparison condition.
  2. B. Alone condition
    The alone condition tests for automatic reinforcement by removing social stimulation.
  3. C. Demand condition
    The demand condition tests for social negative reinforcement (escape).
  4. D. Attention condition
    The attention condition tests for social positive reinforcement in the form of attention.
A functional analysis of hand-mouthing shows high, steady rates in the alone condition and similarly elevated rates across the attention, demand, and play conditions. Which function is most likely?
  1. A. Access to tangibles
    A tangible function would show higher rates mainly when items are taken away contingently.
  2. B. Automatic reinforcement
    Correct. High rates in the alone condition that continue across all conditions suggest the behavior produces its own reinforcement.
  3. C. Social negative reinforcement (escape)
    An escape function would show higher rates mainly in the demand condition.
  4. D. Social positive reinforcement (attention)
    An attention function would show higher rates in the attention condition than in the control.
A functional analysis of a child's aggression produced near-zero rates in every condition. Parents report the aggression happens mostly when they are on the phone, and earlier ABC data agree. What is the best next step?
  1. A. Start a punishment procedure, since the function cannot be found
    Defaulting to punishment without a function goes against function-based, least-restrictive practice.
  2. B. Conclude the aggression is not a problem and close the case
    Low rates in an analog FA often mean the conditions did not include the relevant variables, not that the behavior is not a problem.
  3. C. Add a test condition that matches the reported variable, such as divided attention, and compare it with a control
    Correct. Using descriptive and indirect information to build idiosyncratic test conditions can bring out the behavior and identify its function.
  4. D. Run the same conditions again for many more sessions without changes
    Repeating conditions that leave out the relevant establishing operation is unlikely to help.

Take the free diagnostic