A boy cries when the bus takes a new route to the clinic, and he has trouble moving from play to table work. On NIMH's list, which kind of behavior is this?National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, signs and symptoms of ASD. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.6, insistence on sameness.
A child repeats the same line from a cartoon again and again during a session. What does NIMH call repeating words or phrases?National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, signs and symptoms of ASD. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.5, stereotyped or repetitive speech.
How does NICHD describe early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI)?NICHD, Behavioral Management Therapy for Autism, Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.11, early intensive behavioral intervention.
How does NIMH describe the sensory differences that autistic people often have?National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, signs and symptoms of ASD. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.8, reactivity to sensory input.
Show all 80 questions (76 more)
A. Autism spectrum disorder, continued
In the 2020 NCAEP review, which of these had some evidence but too little to be classed as an evidence-based practice?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Tables 3.1 and 3.2. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.1, evidence-based and nonevidence-based interventions.
Under the DSM-5 framework, how may a clinician specify the severity of autism?Wikipedia, Autism, Classification, DSM. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.9, levels of severity.
Which of these does NIMH list among the social communication and interaction behaviors common in autism spectrum disorder?National Institute of Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder, signs and symptoms of ASD. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, A.3, nonverbal communicative behaviors.
B. Principles of ABA 15
A behavior that used to be reinforced is no longer reinforced, and it becomes less probable. What is this called?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.9, extinction.
A boy asks for the tablet only when it is on the table, never when it is put away. His asking shows:Wikipedia, Stimulus control. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.20, stimulus control.
A boy covers his ears when the hand dryer starts, the noise is muffled, and he covers his ears sooner each time. Covering his ears is being:Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.2, negative reinforcement.
A clicker sound means nothing to a learner at first. How can it become a conditioned reinforcer?Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Primary and secondary reinforcers. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.7, conditioned reinforcer.
A girl earns a sip of juice for each answer. After she has drunk a full cup, she stops working for juice. Which factor has weakened the juice as a reinforcer?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Factors that alter the effectiveness of reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.10 and B.11, deprivation and satiation.
A girl jumps at the clinic's door buzzer on her first day. After hearing it many times with nothing following it, she barely reacts. This is:Wikipedia, Habituation. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.12, habituation.
A girl signs "more", her technician blows more bubbles, and from then on she signs "more" more often. Which principle is at work?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.1, positive reinforcement.
A reinforcer is delivered only when the target behavior occurs. The reinforcer is said to be:Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Other reinforcement terms. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.13, contingency.
A technician gives a high five after every correct answer for two weeks, and correct answers do not increase. What does this show about the high five?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.5 and B.6, reinforcer and punisher.
A teen leaves her bike unlocked outside school and it is stolen. She never leaves a bike unlocked again. Leaving it unlocked was:Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.4, negative punishment.
How does a motivating operation differ from a discriminative stimulus?Wikipedia, Motivating operation, Theory. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.14, motivating operation.
In the terms "positive punishment" and "negative punishment", what do "positive" and "negative" tell you?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.3 and B.4, positive and negative punishment.
In the three-term (ABC) contingency, what does the antecedent do?Wikipedia, Three-term contingency, Antecedent. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.15, three-term contingency.
Which of these is an unconditioned (primary) reinforcer?Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Primary and secondary reinforcers. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.8, unconditioned reinforcer.
Which sequence makes up one discrete trial?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Table 3.1, Discrete Trial Training. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, B.22, discrete trial.
C. Treatment: skill acquisition 22
A boy who does not yet say "ball" is first reinforced for "b", later only for "ba", and finally only for "ball". Which procedure is this?Wikipedia, Shaping (psychology). Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.40, shaping.
A girl learns to name colors with one technician at the therapy table. She then names them at home, with her father, using crayons she has never seen. This shows:Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Generalization. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.27, generalization.
A girl looks at her technician, points to a toy plane overhead, and looks back at the technician. Which skill is she showing?Wikipedia, Joint attention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.48, joint attention.
A strip of pictures on the wall shows a child the order of the morning: coat off, wash hands, circle time. Which practice is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Visual Supports. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.56, visual supports.
A technician prompts at once this week, waits 2 seconds before prompting next week, and waits 4 seconds the week after. Which procedure is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Time Delay. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.38, time delay prompt.
A technician prompts every step of zipping a coat except the final pull, which the boy does alone. Once that is steady, he will also do the step before it alone. Which procedure is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Task Analysis. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.39, chaining.
A technician starts a new skill with full physical guidance, later moves to a partial physical prompt, and later still to a verbal prompt. Which procedure is this?Wikipedia, Response-prompting procedures, Most to least prompting. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.34, most-to-least prompting.
A technician teaches requesting at snack time and on the playground, using the foods and toys the child reaches for. Which practice is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Naturalistic Intervention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.25, natural environment training.
After a salty snack a girl says "water" and is handed a drink. Which verbal operant is her request?Wikipedia, Mand (psychology). Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.44, mand training.
By the NCAEP fact sheet, what do most social skills training sessions include?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Social Skills Training. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.52, social skills.
"First put on your shoes, then we go to the swings." The swings are the child's favorite. Which principle is the technician using?Wikipedia, Premack's principle, Application to applied behavior analysis. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.30, Premack principle.
In a parent-implemented intervention, what is the practitioner's part?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Parent-Implemented Intervention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.29, caregiver training.
In errorless prompting, when is the prompt given?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Prompting. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.33, errorless learning.
In the system of least prompts (least-to-most prompting), what does each trial give the learner first?Wikipedia, Response-prompting procedures, System of least prompts. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.35, least-to-most prompting.
Over several weeks a technician goes from holding a learner's wrists, to lightly touching the hands, to touching the elbow, to no contact. What is this called?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Fading. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.36, prompt fading.
The technician says "apple" and the child says "apple". Which verbal operant is the child's response?Wikipedia, Verbal Behavior, Echoic. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.46, echoic behavior.
What does a preference assessment let a learner do?Wikipedia, Behaviorism, Behavior analysis. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.31, preference assessment.
What kind of stimulus controls a tact?Wikipedia, Tact (psychology). Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.45, tact training.
Which of these describes discrete trial training?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Discrete Trial Training. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.24, discrete trial training.
Which of these is an unaided form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.42, alternative and augmentative communication.
Why is a prompt faded once a learner masters a skill at that prompt level?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Fading. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, C.37, prompt dependency.
D. Treatment: reduction of problem behavior 24
A behavior has been reinforced only occasionally. Compared with one reinforced at every opportunity, how does it respond when extinction begins?Wikipedia, Operant conditioning, Modifying operant behavior: reinforcement and punishment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.82, intermittent reinforcement.
A boy screams at the checkout until he is handed a candy bar, and screaming at checkouts increases. Which function fits best?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Functional behavior assessment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.67, access to tangible function.
A boy tears his worksheet. The worksheet is taken away, and tearing at work time becomes more frequent. What is the likely function of tearing?Wikipedia, Functional behavior assessment, Social negative reinforcement. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.65, escape function.
A boy waves his fingers in front of his eyes whether or not anyone is near, and no one responds to it. Which function is most likely?Wikipedia, Functional behavior assessment, Automatic positive reinforcement. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.68, automatic function.
A boy who grabs toys from classmates now gets a toy only when he says "my turn"; grabbing no longer gets him one. Which procedure is this?Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Simple schedules. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.74 and D.83, replacement behavior and DRA.
A boy's screaming has been getting him out of tooth brushing. If screaming is placed on extinction, what changes?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Extinction. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.75, escape extinction.
A girl loses two of her earned tokens after throwing a pencil. What is this loss of tokens called?Wikipedia, Token economy, Specified target behaviors. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.89, response cost.
A girl taps hard on the window. Each time, her mother stops her phone call and talks to her, and the tapping grows. What is the likely function?Wikipedia, Functional behavior assessment, Social positive reinforcement. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.66, attention function.
A girl who throws materials to get a break is taught to hand over a "break" card, and the card gets her a break. Which practice is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Functional Communication Training. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.70, functional communication training.
A learner new to a skill gets a reinforcer after every correct response, with none skipped. Which schedule is this?Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Intermittent reinforcement schedules. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.81, continuous reinforcement.
A team starts extinction for whining on Monday. What often happens when an extinction procedure has just begun?Wikipedia, Extinction (psychology), Extinction burst. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.78, extinction burst.
A technician gives three easy instructions that a boy almost always follows ("clap", "touch your nose", "high five") and then the harder one, "sit down". Which practice is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Behavioral Momentum Intervention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.72, high-p request sequence and behavioral momentum.
By the Dead Man's Test, which of these is not a behavior to target?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Measurement of behavior. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.59, target behavior.
The crinkle of a snack bag has been followed by food many times. Now a boy's mouth waters at the crinkle alone. Which kind of learning produced this?Wikipedia, Classical conditioning, lead and Definition. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.62, respondent conditioning.
In a token economy, what are back-up reinforcers?Wikipedia, Token economy, Back-up reinforcers. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.71, token economy.
In differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), what earns the reinforcer?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Table 3.1, Differential Reinforcement. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.85, DRO.
Planned ignoring can be effective when what has been reinforcing the behavior?Wikipedia, Time-out (parenting), Application. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.76, attention extinction.
Response interruption/redirection is used mainly for which behaviors?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Response Interruption/Redirection. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.87, redirection.
Time-out is a behavior control method based on what?Wikipedia, Time-out (parenting), Application. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.90, time-out from reinforcement.
To reduce a girl's hand flapping during table work, her technician reinforces keeping both hands flat on the table, which cannot be done while flapping. Which procedure is this?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Table 3.1, Differential Reinforcement. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.84, DRI.
What is a functional behavior assessment for?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Table 3.1, Functional Behavioral Assessment. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.64, functional behavior assessment.
What is spontaneous recovery?Wikipedia, Extinction (psychology), Spontaneous recovery. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.91, spontaneous recovery.
What makes reinforcement "noncontingent"?Wikipedia, Reinforcement, Other reinforcement terms. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.73, noncontingent reinforcement.
Which of these is an antecedent-based intervention?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Antecedent-Based Intervention. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, D.69, antecedent interventions.
E. Behavioral data collection 8
A boy hits 12 times in a 2-hour session. What is the rate of hitting?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Repeatability. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.1, measurement dimensions: rate.
A girl answers 16 of 20 trials correctly. What percentage of correct responses is recorded?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Derivative measures. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.1, measurement dimensions: percentage.
A technician looks up at set time intervals and notes what the learner is doing then, not in between. Which sampling method is this?Wikipedia, Observational methods in psychology, Time sampling. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.2, measurement procedures: time sampling.
A technician starts a stopwatch when a tantrum begins and stops it when the tantrum ends. Which dimension of behavior is being measured?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Temporal extent. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.1, measurement dimensions: duration.
In direct observation for a functional assessment, what does the observer record as the problem behavior occurs?Wikipedia, Functional behavior assessment, Direct observation methods. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.4, problem behavior data.
In discrete trial training, how often is data typically collected?NCAEP, Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism (2020), Appendix 3, Discrete Trial Training. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.3, skill acquisition data.
Response latency is the time between which two events?Wikipedia, Applied behavior analysis, Temporal locus. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, E.2, measurement procedures: timing.
F. Ethical and legal considerations 4
A family asks their son's technician to babysit him on weekends for extra pay. What would accepting create?Wikipedia, Dual relationship. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, F.11, dual relationships.
By the Child Welfare Information Gateway's summary of state laws, when must a mandatory reporter typically make a report?Child Welfare Information Gateway, Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect, Standards for making a report. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, F.10 and F.12, reporting client abuse and mandatory reporter.
Under OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard, what does Universal Precautions mean for a client's blood?OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens, 1910.1030(b), Definitions. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, F.6, safety (including OSHA).
Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule's minimum necessary standard, how much protected health information may be used or disclosed where the standard applies?45 CFR 164.502, eCFR, 164.502(b), Minimum necessary. Outline: BCAT Examination Content Outline (Nov. 2024), BICC, F.8, confidentiality (including HIPAA).
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the BCAT Examination Content Outline (November 2024) that the Behavioral Intervention Certification Council (BICC) publishes (https://behavioralcertification.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BCAT-Examination-Content-Outline-Nov-2024-1.pdf, read 2026-10-12). The outline weights six areas: A. Autism Spectrum Disorder 8.67%, B. Principles of ABA 19.33%, C. Treatment: Skill Acquisition 27.33%, D. Treatment: Reduction of Problem Behavior 30.00%, E. Behavioral Data Collection 9.33%, F. Ethical/Legal Considerations 5.33%. The bank holds 7, 15, 22, 24, 8 and 4 questions, 80 in all. Every fact was read on 2026-10-12 in the public source the question names: the 2020 report of the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (University of North Carolina) for 19 questions; NIMH, NICHD, OSHA, the eCFR and the Child Welfare Information Gateway for 8; and 24 Wikipedia articles on learning and behavior for 53, read in the version of that day. Two answers are arithmetic worked from the rule the source gives. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
This free, unofficial Board Certified Autism Technician practice test has 80 questions of our own on the six content areas of the BCAT exam. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Behavioral Intervention Certification Council (BICC).
Read the full guide
What the BCAT exam covers
BICC's Examination Content Outline of November 2024, read at behavioralcertification.org on October 12, 2026, weights six areas: reduction of problem behavior 30%, skill acquisition 27.33%, principles of ABA 19.33%, behavioral data collection 9.33%, autism spectrum disorder 8.67%, and ethical and legal considerations 5.33%. The bank holds 24, 22, 15, 8, 7 and 4 questions.
Where the facts come from
Definitions of teaching and behavior-reduction practices come from the 2020 report of the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice. Signs of autism come from NIMH, safety and privacy rules from OSHA and 45 CFR 164.502, and learning principles from the Wikipedia article named under each answer.
Timing
Exam mode asks 35 questions in 36 minutes, one fifth of the real exam.
The two treatment areas carry over half the exam. Pick one under Start from and practice what you miss there before moving on.
Questions and answers
Is there an official practice test for Board Certified Autism Technician candidates?
The BCAT Candidate Handbook says BICC neither requires nor provides nor endorses any specific study guides, review products or training courses. This page is a separate, unofficial bank, and none of its questions comes from the real exam.
How many questions are on the BCAT exam?
175 multiple-choice items, of which 25 are unscored pretest items that do not count toward the score. Candidates have 3 hours, by BICC's Examination Content Outline of November 2024.
What is the passing score for the BCAT exam?
BICC prints no percent. By the handbook, a panel of subject matter experts recommends the passing point in a criterion-referenced process and the BICC Board approves it. No curve is used to grade candidates.
What do you need to become a Board Certified Autism Technician?
The handbook lists a high school diploma or its equivalent, 40 hours of training over the content outline, 15 supervised fieldwork hours with individuals diagnosed with autism, a criminal background check, agreement to the Code of Conduct, and a pass on the exam.
How soon can you retake the BCAT exam?
A candidate who fails a first attempt may schedule a second at once. Further retakes need a 30-day wait from the previous attempt, and no one may test more than 4 times in 12 months, by the handbook.