Unit B: Assessment is the second section of the RBT Task List and an essential part of the RBT Exam. Every RBT must understand the role assessments play in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Assessments are how we systematically gather information about a client’s skills, behaviors, preferences, and environment. This information allows the supervising BCBA to design individualized therapy programs and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) that are effective, ethical, and client-centered.
As an RBT, you won’t be creating assessments or interpreting them independently – that is the BCBA’s responsibility – but you will play a crucial supporting role. Your tasks often include collecting accurate data, conducting preference assessments, and assisting with other assessments under the supervision of a BCBA.
📌 Exam insight: Assessment-related questions appear frequently on the RBT Exam (Task List B-1, B-2, and B-3), so knowing this material clearly can make a big difference in your score.
✅ Why Assessment Matters in ABA
Assessment is what makes ABA individualized and data-driven. No two clients are alike. Each comes to therapy with different strengths, learning histories, and needs. Assessments help us answer critical questions such as:
- What motivates this learner?
- What skills have they mastered, and what are they ready to learn next?
- What behaviors may be preventing progress, and why are those behaviors happening?
Without thorough assessments, ABA programs would be generic instead of personalized and personalization is at the heart of ethical and effective ABA practice.
📘 RBT Unit B Breakdown
According to the 2026 RBT Task List, Unit B includes three main skill areas:
- Conduct Preference Assessments (B-1)
- Assist with Individualized Assessment Procedures (B-2)
- Assist with Functional Assessment Procedures (B-3)
Let’s dive into each in detail.
B-1: Conduct Preference Assessments
Preference assessments are among the most common assessment tasks an RBT will perform. Their purpose is to identify items, activities, or events that a learner enjoys. Remember: a preference assessment discovers what’s preferred; it does not automatically prove that an item is a reinforcer.
👉 To be a reinforcer, a stimulus must increase the likelihood of a behavior when presented after that behavior. Preference assessments, however, help identify possible reinforcers by showing us what the learner is interested in.
🔑 Why They Matter
- Reinforcement is the strongest tool in ABA for teaching new skills and reducing challenging behaviors.
- Learners’ preferences change often, especially children. An item loved last week may no longer work this week – so assessments are ongoing.
- RBTs must know how to conduct different types of preference assessments accurately, since this is frequently tested on the RBT exam.
Types of Preference Assessments
- Indirect Preference Assessments
- Gathered through caregiver interviews, questionnaires, or client self-report.
- Example questions: “What are your child’s favorite toys?” or “When left alone, what activities does she enjoy?”
- Pros: Quick, easy to administer.
- Cons: May not always reflect actual reinforcing value.
- Free Operant Observation
- The learner is given unrestricted access to the environment, and the RBT observes what they naturally choose.
- Example: In a playroom, the learner chooses a water table and spends 15 minutes playing with it, while ignoring puzzles and blocks.
- Data can be recorded as duration of engagement or number of interactions.
- Pros: Natural and easy to implement.
- Cons: Doesn’t test preferences against alternatives directly.
- Single-Stimulus (Successive Choice) Assessment
- Present one item at a time and record response (accept, reject, engage with duration).
- Useful for learners with difficulty making choices or scanning arrays.
- Example: Learner is presented with a ball. They engage with it for 5 minutes. Next, they’re presented with a book and push it away.
- Paired-Stimulus (Forced Choice) Assessment
- Present two items and record which one is chosen. Pair all items against each other multiple times.
- Produces a preference hierarchy (most-to-least preferred).
- Example: Present popcorn vs. puzzle → child picks popcorn. Present popcorn vs. blocks → child picks popcorn again. High preferences rise to the top.
- Pros: Produces clear ranking.
- Cons: Can take longer if many items are tested.
- Multiple Stimulus With Replacement (MSW)
- Present an array of items. Learner chooses one, plays with it briefly, then the RBT puts it back into the array with others. Process repeats until all items have been sampled.
- Example: Items A, B, C are presented. Learner picks A. Next round: A, B, C again. Then learner picks C.
- Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO)
- Present an array of items. Learner chooses one. That item is removed, and the learner chooses from the remaining ones until all are picked.
- Example: Items A, B, C, D are given. Learner picks C → C is removed. New array → A, B, D. Continue until none remain.
- The final order reflects the learner’s hierarchy of preferences.
💡 Exam Tip: The RBT Exam often asks you to identify which assessment method is being described in a scenario. Be able to clearly differentiate MSW vs. MSWO, paired vs. single stimulus, etc.
B-2: Assist with Individualized Assessment Procedures
In addition to preference assessments, ABA programs use a variety of skill-based and developmental assessments not for diagnosis, but to evaluate a learner’s strengths and areas for growth.
RBT Role:
- Present assessment tasks as trained and scripted by the BCBA.
- Collect accurate data (whether the learner can perform a skill or not).
- Avoid prompting unless assessment protocol specifically allows it.
- Avoid correcting errors during the formal assessment – record data as is.
Common Assessments You’ll Encounter
- VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
- A criterion-based assessment focusing on language and learning milestones.
- Targets manding (requests), tacting (labels), intraverbal (conversations), play skills, and barriers to learning.
- Common with children under 6 years old.
- ABLLS-R (Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills – Revised)
- Measures a wider range of skills: academic, social, self-help, and verbal behavior.
- Used primarily with children younger than 12.
- Helpful in creating individualized curricula.
- AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
- Designed to assess daily living skills such as dressing, eating, community safety, and vocational skills.
- Can be used with learners of all ages, supporting independence and long-term goals.
Why These Assessments Matter
These tools help build a baseline of skills so BCBAs know:
- What the learner can already do independently
- What skills need direct teaching
- What functional or adaptive skills are missing but important for independence
As the RBT, your accuracy in collecting this data is critical. Even small errors in data collection during assessment can mislead the BCBA during treatment planning.
B-3: Assist with Functional Assessment Procedures
Sometimes, a client engages in challenging behaviors that interfere with learning, safety, or socialization. In these situations, the BCBA may conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to determine why the behavior is happening (its function).
RBT’s Role in FBAs
- Collect descriptive data (often via ABC recording)
- Support BCBAs by observing and documenting behavior accurately
- Never interpret results, only report objectively
Types of Functional Assessment Procedures
- Indirect Assessments
- Information gathered from people familiar with the client (caregivers, teachers, staff).
- Tools: Interviews, rating scales, questionnaires (e.g., MAS – Motivation Assessment Scale).
- Pros: Fast, easy, provides background context.
- Cons: May be biased or inaccurate.
- Descriptive (Direct) Assessments
- Direct observation of the client in natural environments.
- The ABC method (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) is most common.
- Antecedent: What happened right before the behavior (instruction given, denied access to toy).
- Behavior: The exact, observable action (e.g., screaming, biting, running away).
- Consequence: What happened immediately after (attention given, escape, toy returned).
- Provides real-world examples of behavior patterns but does not prove cause-effect.
- Functional Analysis (FA)
- The gold standard of behavior analysis.
- Conducted by a BCBA (RBTs may support by collecting data).
- Involves systematically manipulating variables (e.g., giving attention vs withholding it) to determine the exact function of the behavior (escape, attention, access to tangibles, sensory).
- Highest certainty but requires intensive training and ethical oversight.
⚡ Exam Tip: Expect scenario questions asking you to identify the type of assessment tool (indirect, descriptive, or FA) being used. You must be able to spot differences based on context clues.
🌟 Practical Examples for RBTs
- Preference Assessment: You ask a child to choose between Legos and Playdoh. They always pick Legos. → Legos likely high preference.
- Individualized Assessment: During a VB-MAPP probe, you ask the child, “What’s this?” while showing a picture of a dog. They say “dog.” → Skill mastered.
- Functional Assessment: During ABC recording, you write → Antecedent: RBT says “clean up”; Behavior: child throws toy; Consequence: RBT redirects child to another task.
🧠 Quick Practice Questions
- You present three toys at once. The child picks one, and you remove it. You continue until no items remain. Which type of preference assessment is this?
- Which assessment evaluates daily living and community participation skills?
- During ABA data collection, you record “RBT says ‘put shoes on’ → client screams → parent gives iPad.” Which functional assessment method are you using?
Answers: 1. MSWO, 2. AFLS, 3. Descriptive/ABC recording.
RBT Assessment Practice Questions
RBT Assessment Practice
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Unit C: Skill Acquisition →