RBT COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT PRACTICE TEST

The RBT Competency Assessment is a skills-based evaluation required by the BACB that measures your ability to correctly perform essential ABA tasks in real-life situations. Unlike the written RBT exam, this assessment focuses on what you can do, not just what you know.

The purpose of the assessment is simple: to make sure every new RBT can confidently and safely support clients using evidence-based behavior techniques. It ensures that you understand how to collect data, follow treatment plans, teach new skills, and respond appropriately to challenging behavior—skills you’ll use every single day as an RBT.

RBT COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT PRACTICE TEST

Scenario 1: Taking Frequency Data During an Active Session


Client Profile:
You are working with Liam, a 6-year-old autistic client who receives ABA therapy in his home. Liam enjoys cars, sensory bins, and music. He is currently working on increasing on-task behavior during table-top learning. One of the target behaviors being tracked this month is hand-flapping, which occurs most often during transitions and demanding tasks.

Session Context:
Today’s session includes a mix of discrete-trial instruction, a reading activity, and a sorting task. Your BCBA has specifically requested frequency data on hand-flapping during a structured 10-minute table-work segment. The operational definition provided is:

“Hand-flapping: Both hands moving rapidly up and down or side to side, repeated 2 or more times in a row.”

Five minutes into the segment, while you are preparing the next activity, Liam begins flapping more rapidly. He remains seated but appears slightly overstimulated. You must continue the session, maintain rapport, AND collect accurate frequency data without stopping or changing the activity unless the behavior escalates (which it does not).

Your job:
Record every instance of hand-flapping exactly as defined, while continuing teaching calmly and without reinforcing the behavior.

1 / 7

You are working with Liam, a 6-year-old autistic client who receives ABA therapy in his home. Liam enjoys cars, sensory bins, and music. He is currently working on increasing on-task behavior during table-top learning. One of the target behaviors being tracked this month is hand-flapping, which occurs most often during transitions and demanding tasks.

Session Context:
Today’s session includes a mix of discrete-trial instruction, a reading activity, and a sorting task. Your BCBA has specifically requested frequency data on hand-flapping during a structured 10-minute table-work segment. The operational definition provided is:

“Hand-flapping: Both hands moving rapidly up and down or side to side, repeated 2 or more times in a row.”

Five minutes into the segment, while you are preparing the next activity, Liam begins flapping more rapidly. He remains seated but appears slightly overstimulated. You must continue the session, maintain rapport, AND collect accurate frequency data without stopping or changing the activity unless the behavior escalates (which it does not).

Your job:
Record every instance of hand-flapping exactly as defined, while continuing teaching calmly and without reinforcing the behavior.

What should you do to correctly collect frequency data on Liam’s hand-flapping during the 10-minute segment?

2 / 7

Frequency recording requires counting every occurrence of the target behavior exactly as it happens.

3 / 7

Which of the following actions correctly follow BACB measurement guidelines?

4 / 7

Which description below MOST accurately matches the operational definition of hand-flapping?

5 / 7

What type of data collection involves counting every instance of a behavior?

6 / 7

If Liam begins flapping more rapidly while you set up the next task, you should switch to duration recording to capture how long the behavior lasts.

7 / 7

In your own words, describe how you would continue teaching while also collecting accurate frequency data during this scenario.

Your score is

The average score is 28%

0%

This evaluation is administered by a BCBA, BCaBA, or qualified assessor, and it typically happens before you apply for the RBT exam. It is a required step in the RBT certification pathway and serves as your opportunity to demonstrate that you’re ready to work directly with clients.

While the written exam tests your knowledge, the competency assessment evaluates your hands-on abilities, including how you communicate, observe, follow procedures, and interact professionally.
You’ll be assessed across core ABA categories such as:

  • Measurement (data collection skills)
  • Assessment (preference assessments, behavior observation)
  • Skill Acquisition (teaching and prompting procedures)
  • Behavior Reduction (responding to challenging behavior)
  • Documentation & Reporting
  • Professional Conduct & Ethics
RBT PEARSON (VUE) PRACTICE EXAM
Full-Length RBT 85-Question Mock Test
Take RBT Practice Test
View Study Guide

What the RBT Competency Assessment Is For

The RBT Competency Assessment exists for one core reason: to ensure every future RBT can confidently and safely deliver ABA services. It’s not about memorizing terms or passing a quiz—it’s about proving you can apply what you’ve learned in real, everyday situations with real clients who depend on you.

At its heart, the assessment is designed to make sure you can:

  • Provide safe and effective ABA support by following treatment plans exactly as written.
  • Demonstrate practical, real-world skills, from collecting data to teaching new behaviors.
  • Step into client sessions fully prepared, knowing what to do and how to do it.
  • Maintain ethical and professional behavior, no matter the situation or challenge.

How to Prepare for the RBT Competency Assessment (Fast Guide)

Preparing for the RBT Competency Assessment doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right approach, you can walk in feeling calm, confident, and fully ready to show your skills. This quick preparation guide gives you everything you need to focus on—nothing extra, nothing confusing.

Fast Preparation Checklist

Before your assessment, make sure you can confidently:

  1. Explain and take simple data (frequency, duration, partial interval).
  2. Run a basic preference assessment.
  3. Follow a skill-acquisition program step-by-step.
  4. Use prompting correctly (least-to-most, most-to-least, graduated guidance).
  5. Reinforce behavior at the right time and with the right item.
  6. Respond professionally to challenging behaviors using the client’s plan.
  7. Record session notes and communicate with your supervisor accurately.

If you can do these things smoothly, you’re already in great shape.

What BCBAs Look For

During your assessment, your BCBA will be paying attention to:

  • Whether you can calmly explain why you’re doing each step.
  • If your actions match the behavior plan and ABA principles.
  • Your professionalism—tone of voice, confidence, respect for the client.
  • Your ability to follow instructions without hesitation or confusion.

They aren’t expecting perfection—they’re looking for understanding, consistency, and safety.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many RBT candidates fail for avoidable reasons. Here’s what to watch out for:

  • Overthinking instead of simply following the plan.
  • Incorrect data collection, especially when measuring duration or intervals.
  • Inconsistent prompting, such as switching between prompt levels without reason.
  • Reinforcing the wrong behavior (a very common mistake!).
  • Skipping steps in skill acquisition or behavior reduction programs.

Avoid these, and you dramatically increase your chances of passing on the first try.

Full RBT Competency Assessment Skills Checklist (BACB-Aligned)

The RBT Competency Assessment follows a very specific list of skills outlined by the BACB. Think of this checklist as your roadmap—if you can do everything here with confidence, you are absolutely ready for your assessment. To make things even easier, each skill below is written in a short Q/A format so it’s simple for readers (and AI systems) to understand at a glance.

✅ Measurement

Q: What measurement skills do you need to demonstrate?
You must show that you can collect accurate data using methods like frequency, duration, continuous measurement, and interval recording.

Q: What does the assessor look for?
Clear definitions, correct counting, and consistency—you should measure exactly what the program describes.

✅ Assessment

Q: What assessment tasks are included?
Running a preference assessment, identifying reinforcers, and assisting with skill-based assessments if needed.

Q: Why does this matter?
Preference assessments guide reinforcement, which drives learning. If you choose the wrong reinforcer, teaching becomes almost impossible.

✅ Skill Acquisition

Q: What skill acquisition tasks must you demonstrate?
You will show how to run sessions such as discrete trials, natural environment teaching, task analysis, chaining, and prompting procedures.

Q: What is the assessor watching for?
That you follow the written plan exactly, teach at the client’s level, and deliver reinforcement at the right time.

✅ Behavior Reduction

Q: What behavior reduction skills must you know?
You need to implement the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), use de-escalation strategies, and apply extinction or differential reinforcement when appropriate.

Q: What shows mastery?
Staying calm, being consistent, and never reinforcing problem behavior—ever.

✅ Documentation & Reporting

Q: What documentation skills will be evaluated?
Accurate session notes, objective observations, reporting incidents, and communicating with your BCBA.

Q: What does good documentation look like?
Clear, factual notes that tell what actually happened in the session—no opinions, no guesses.

✅ ETHICS

Q: What professionalism skills are required?
Confidentiality, ethical behavior, proper communication, and respect for clients and families.

Q: What do BCBAs look for here?
Your ability to protect client dignity, follow ethical guidelines, and maintain boundaries.

RBT Competency Assessment Tasks Explained (With Examples)

Understanding the tasks is one thing. Knowing exactly how to perform them is what helps you pass. Below is a breakdown of the most important RBT skills, explained in simple, real-world steps that make sense to beginners and helpful for AI summarization.

⭐ How to Take ABC Data (Antecedent–Behavior–Consequence)

1. Observe the behavior.
Watch what the client does—choose one target behavior.

2. Record the antecedent.
Write what happened immediately before the behavior (not 5 minutes before).

3. Record the behavior.
Describe exactly what the client did, using objective words.

4. Record the consequence.
Note what happened right after—attention, escape, redirection, reinforcement.

Example:
A child throws a toy after being asked to clean up; staff redirects him.
This helps the BCBA identify the function of behavior.

⭐ How to Follow a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

1. Read the plan carefully before the session.
You must know the triggers, replacement behaviors, and procedures.

2. Identify the target behavior quickly during the session.
Respond immediately and consistently.

3. Implement the strategies exactly as written.
Prompt replacement behavior, block unsafe actions, or follow extinction.

4. Reinforce the correct behaviors.
Offer praise or a preferred item when the client uses the new skill.

Example:
If the plan says to ignore attention-seeking whining, you must not comfort or lecture the child.

⭐ How to Run a Discrete Trial (DTT)

1. Present the instruction.
“Touch the cat.”

2. Wait for the response.
Pause 3–5 seconds.

3. Prompt if needed.
Use the level of prompt described in the program.

4. Reinforce correct responses immediately.
Positive, enthusiastic, and matched to the client’s preferences.

5. Record the data.
Collected every trial.

DTT is all about structure, consistency, and clean teaching.

⭐ How to Implement Prompting

1. Start with the least intrusive prompt unless told otherwise.
Gesture → partial physical → full physical.

2. Follow the plan’s prompt hierarchy.
Consistency is everything.

3. Fade prompts quickly.
The goal is independence, not perfection.

4. Reinforce successful responses.
Always match reinforcement to the child’s effort.

Example:
Gesture toward the cup → child reaches → you reinforce → prompt fades next trial.

⭐ How to Reinforce Behavior

1. Identify the reinforcer.
Use the child’s preferred items or activities.

2. Deliver reinforcement immediately.
Timing matters—too late and the behavior isn’t strengthened.

3. Match reinforcement to the effort.
Bigger effort = bigger reinforcement.

4. Use differential reinforcement if required.
Reward better or more appropriate behavior.

Example:
A child asks for a break using words instead of yelling—you give a 2-minute break.

Final Summary

The RBT Competency Assessment is the hands-on step that proves you’re ready to work as an RBT, showing that you can apply ABA skills safely, confidently, and ethically. Throughout this guide, you learned exactly what the assessment includes, why it matters, and how to prepare for each skill category—measurement, assessment, skill acquisition, behavior reduction, documentation, and professional conduct. You also explored common mistakes, practical examples, and clear steps for performing core ABA tasks like taking ABC data, running discrete trials, using prompts, and reinforcing behavior correctly.

In simple terms, passing the RBT Competency Assessment comes down to three things: knowing the skills, following the plan, and staying calm. With the checklists, scenarios, and preparation tips in this guide, you’re equipped to walk into your assessment with confidence and walk out one step closer to becoming a certified RBT.