RBT Skill Acquisition Quiz

Skill acquisition represents the largest section of the RBT exam, covering systematic teaching methods that help clients develop communication, social, academic, and daily living skills. This interactive quiz addresses teaching procedures, reinforcement schedules, prompting strategies, and generalization techniques that form the foundation of effective ABA instruction.

Each question includes detailed explanations to clarify complex concepts and reinforce best practices. Use this quiz to identify areas for further study and ensure you understand how different teaching methods contribute to successful skill development and client independence.

RBT Skill Acquisition Quiz

1. 

Ashley is teaching Marcus to brush his teeth. She demonstrates the entire sequence while Marcus observes. What type of prompt is Ashley using?

Gestural prompt

Physical prompt

Model prompt

Verbal prompt

None

2. 

During discrete trial training, Connor presents the instruction "Touch red," waits 3 seconds for his client Riley to respond, and then provides feedback. What component comes immediately after the instruction?

Reinforcement

Inter-trial interval

Prompt

Consequence

None

3. 

Maya is teaching Jackson, to request a snack. She provides a token each time Jackson says "snack please" and he can exchange 5 tokens for his preferred snack. What type of reinforcement system is Maya using?

Primary reinforcement

Token economy

Natural reinforcement

Social reinforcement

None

4. 

Derek teaches his client to write the letter "A" by first reinforcing any mark on paper, then only vertical lines, then two vertical lines, and finally the complete letter "A." What procedure is Derek using?

Chaining

Prompt fading

Shaping

Task analysis

None

5. 

Lauren is teaching her client to wash dishes. She breaks the task into steps: gather dishes, fill sink, add soap, wash each dish, rinse, and dry. What has Lauren created?

Behavior intervention plan

Task analysis

Preference assessment

Data collection sheet

None

6. 

Tyler reinforces his client after every 3rd correct response during a matching task. What reinforcement schedule is Tyler using?

Fixed interval

Variable ratio

Fixed ratio

Continuous reinforcement

None

7. 

Rachel is teaching Noah to tie shoes. She has Noah complete the final step (pulling the loops tight) and gradually adds earlier steps until he can complete the entire sequence. What chaining method is Rachel using?

Forward chaining

Backward chaining

Total task chaining

Stimulus chaining

None

8. 

Jessica notices her client learned to say "more" during snack time and now uses it appropriately during playtime and art activities. What does this demonstrate?

Maintenance

Generalization

Discrimination

Acquisition

None

9. 

Brandon starts by physically guiding his client hand to point to pictures, then just touches her wrist, then just points near her hand, and finally just gives the verbal instruction. What process is Brandon implementing?

Shaping

Chaining

Prompt fading

Error correction

None

10. 

Chloe teaches Liam to identify farm animals during structured table time with flashcards and later during a trip to a petting zoo. What teaching strategy is Chloe using to promote learning?

Maintenance training

Generalization programming

Discrete trial training

Errorless learning

None

11. 

During a token exchange, Oliver can choose between 10 minutes of tablet time, a small toy, or a preferred snack. In this token economy, these items serve as:

Tokens

Primary reinforcers

Backup reinforcers

Conditioned stimuli

None

12. 

Zoe is teaching her client, Lucas, to use a spoon. She provides hand-over-hand assistance for the entire eating motion. What level of prompt is Zoe using?

Full physical prompt

Partial physical prompt

Gestural prompt

Positional prompt

None

13. 

Aiden reinforces his client on average every 5 responses, but sometimes after 3 responses and sometimes after 8 responses. What schedule of reinforcement is Aiden using?

Fixed ratio

Variable ratio

Fixed interval

Variable interval

None

14. 

Harper teaches Dylan to put on his jacket starting with picking up the jacket, then putting in one arm, then the other arm, and finally zipping it up. What chaining procedure is Harper using?

Backward chaining

Forward chaining

Total task chaining

Response chaining

None

15. 

Natalie wants to increase the length of time her client, Jake, remains seated during instruction. She starts by reinforcing 30 seconds of sitting, then 45 seconds, then 1 minute. What procedure is Natalie using?

Chaining

Shaping

Fading

Discrimination training

None

16. 

Logan provides reinforcement to his client every 2 minutes regardless of how many tasks she completes. What reinforcement schedule is Logan using?

Fixed ratio

Variable ratio

Fixed interval

Variable interval

None

17. 

Grace is teaching Mason to identify colors. When Mason correctly identifies "red," Grace immediately says "Great job!" and gives him a high-five. What type of reinforcement is Grace providing?

Social reinforcement

Tangible reinforcement

Automatic reinforcement

Sensory reinforcement

None

18. 

Kevin teaches his client, Lily, to request help by having her practice the skill during naturally occurring opportunities throughout the day rather than at a table. What teaching method is Kevin using?

Discrete trial training

Natural environment teaching

Mass trial training

Structured teaching

None

19. 

Emma noticed her client learned to say "hello" to her and now says "hello" to other staff members and his parents. What type of generalization is this?

Setting generalization

Response generalization

Maintenance

Stimulus generalization

None

20. 

Isabella is teaching Carson to complete puzzles. She starts with 3-piece puzzles, then 5-piece, then 10-piece puzzles as Carson masters each level. What principle guides Isabella's approach?

Errorless learning

Progressive difficulty

Random presentation

Mass trials

None

21. 

Ryan teaches Ava, to sort objects by color. Initially, he provides verbal prompts, then reduces to just pointing to the correct location, and finally provides no prompts. What is the goal of this process?

To increase prompt dependency

To slow down learning

To increase errors

To achieve stimulus control

None

22. 

Taylor is working with her client who learned to identify shapes using picture cards and can now identify the same shapes in his environment. This demonstrates:

Response generalization

Stimulus generalization

Maintenance

Discrimination

None

23. 

Madison teaches Cole to wash his hands by having him practice all steps of the task during each training session with varying levels of assistance for different steps. What chaining procedure is Madison using?

Forward chaining

Backward chaining

Total task chaining

Partial task chaining

None

24. 

Jordan wants to teach Zara to use different ways to request a break (saying "break," pointing to a break card, or raising her hand). This approach promotes:

Prompt dependency

Response generalization

Stimulus generalization

Maintenance

None

1 out of 24

Time’s up

Core Skill Acquisition Teaching Methods

Effective skill acquisition requires understanding diverse teaching methods and their appropriate applications. Discrete trial teaching provides structured instruction for new skill development, while naturalistic teaching promotes generalization through interest-based learning. Chaining procedures break complex skills into manageable components, and prompting strategies provide necessary support while building independence.

Reinforcement schedules play crucial roles in skill acquisition by maintaining motivation and building durable behavior patterns. Continuous reinforcement supports initial learning, while intermittent schedules, concepts regularly covered in RBT practice tests, promote maintenance and resistance to extinction. Understanding when to use different schedules helps maximize teaching effectiveness.

Generalization and Maintenance Strategies

Successful skill acquisition extends beyond initial learning to include generalization across settings, people, and materials. Teams program generalization by teaching skills in multiple environments, with various staff members, and using different materials. This comprehensive approach ensures skills transfer to meaningful real-world applications.

Maintenance procedures help skills persist after formal instruction ends. This includes identifying natural reinforcement sources, programming intermittent practice opportunities, and teaching family members to support continued skill use. Effective maintenance planning ensures long-term skill retention and functional independence.