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Independent preparation, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or Pearson VUE. The names BACB and BCBA are used only to describe the examination; every question and guide here is our own, written from the BACB's published BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.).

• Area A5% of the exam

  Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations

  Tasks

  5

  On the exam

  8

  Practice

  10

  In the mock

  8

  The 5 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. A.1Identify the goals of behavior analysis as a science (i.e., description, prediction, control).
  2. A.2Explain the philosophical assumptions underlying the science of behavior analysis (e.g., selectionism, determinism, empiricism, parsimony, pragmatism).
  3. A.3Explain behavior from the perspective of radical behaviorism.
  4. A.4Distinguish among behaviorism, the experimental analysis of behavior, applied behavior analysis, and professional practice guided by the science of behavior analysis.
  5. A.5Identify and describe dimensions of applied behavior analysis.

  Study guide, area A
• Area B14% of the exam

  Concepts and Principles

  Tasks

  24

  On the exam

  24

  Practice

  48

  In the mock

  26

  The 24 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. B.1Identify and distinguish among behavior, response, and response class.
  2. B.2Identify and distinguish between stimulus and stimulus class.
  3. B.3Identify and distinguish between respondent and operant conditioning.
  4. B.4Identify and distinguish between positive and negative reinforcement contingencies.
  5. B.5Identify and distinguish between positive and negative punishment contingencies.
  6. B.6Identify and distinguish between automatic and socially mediated contingencies.
  7. B.7Identify and distinguish among unconditioned, conditioned, and generalized reinforcers.
  8. B.8Identify and distinguish among unconditioned, conditioned, and generalized punishers.
  9. B.9Identify and distinguish among simple schedules of reinforcement.
  10. B.10Identify and distinguish among concurrent, multiple, mixed, and chained schedules of reinforcement.
  11. B.11Identify and distinguish between operant and respondent extinction as operations and processes.
  12. B.12Identify examples of stimulus control.
  13. B.13Identify examples of stimulus discrimination.
  14. B.14Identify and distinguish between stimulus and response generalization.
  15. B.15Identify examples of response maintenance.
  16. B.16Identify examples of motivating operations.
  17. B.17Distinguish between motivating operations and stimulus control.
  18. B.18Identify and distinguish between rule-governed and contingency-shaped behavior.
  19. B.19Identify and distinguish among verbal operants.
  20. B.20Identify the role of multiple control in verbal behavior.
  21. B.21Identify examples of processes that promote emergent relations and generative performance.
  22. B.22Identify ways behavioral momentum can be used to understand response persistence.
  23. B.23Identify ways the matching law can be used to interpret response allocation.
  24. B.24Identify and distinguish between imitation and observational learning.

  Study guide, area B
• Area C12% of the exam

  Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation

  Tasks

  12

  On the exam

  21

  Practice

  24

  In the mock

  22

  The 12 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. C.1Create operational definitions of behavior.
  2. C.2Distinguish among direct, indirect, and product measures of behavior.
  3. C.3Measure occurrence.
  4. C.4Measure temporal dimensions of behavior (e.g., duration, latency, interresponse time).
  5. C.5Distinguish between continuous and discontinuous measurement procedures.
  6. C.6Design and apply discontinuous measurement procedures (e.g., interval recording, time sampling).
  7. C.7Measure efficiency (e.g., trials to criterion, cost-benefit analysis, training duration).
  8. C.8Evaluate the validity and reliability of measurement procedures.
  9. C.9Select a measurement procedure to obtain representative data that accounts for the critical dimension of the behavior and environmental constraints.
  10. C.10Graph data to communicate relevant quantitative relations (e.g., equal-interval graphs, bar graphs, cumulative records).
  11. C.11Interpret graphed data.
  12. C.12Select a measurement procedure to obtain representative procedural integrity data that accounts for relevant dimensions (e.g., accuracy, dosage) and environmental constraints.

  Study guide, area C
• Area D7% of the exam

  Experimental Design

  Tasks

  9

  On the exam

  13

  Practice

  18

  In the mock

  14

  The 9 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. D.1Distinguish between dependent and independent variables.
  2. D.2Distinguish between internal and external validity.
  3. D.3Identify threats to internal validity (e.g., history, maturation).
  4. D.4Identify the defining features of single-case experimental designs (e.g., individuals serve as their own controls, repeated measures, prediction, verification, replication).
  5. D.5Identify the relative strengths of single-case experimental designs and group designs.
  6. D.6Critique and interpret data from single-case experimental designs.
  7. D.7Distinguish among reversal, multiple-baseline, multielement, and changing-criterion designs.
  8. D.8Identify rationales for conducting comparative, component, and parametric analyses.
  9. D.9Apply single-case experimental designs.

  Study guide, area D
• Area E13% of the exam

  Ethical and Professional Issues

  Tasks

  12

  On the exam

  22

  Practice

  24

  In the mock

  23

  The 12 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. E.1Identify and apply core principles underlying the ethics codes for BACB certificants (e.g., benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity).
  2. E.2Identify the risks to oneself, others, and the profession as a result of engaging in unethical behavior.
  3. E.3Develop and maintain competence by engaging in professional development activities (e.g., read literature, seek consultation, establish mentors).
  4. E.4Identify and comply with requirements for collecting, using, protecting, and disclosing confidential information.
  5. E.5Identify and comply with requirements for making public statements about professional activities (e.g., social media activity; misrepresentation of professional credentials, behavior analysis, and service outcomes).
  6. E.6Identify the conditions under which services or supervision should be discontinued and apply steps that should be taken when transitioning clients and supervisees to another professional.
  7. E.7Identify types of and risks associated with multiple relationships, and how to mitigate those risks when they are unavoidable.
  8. E.8Identify and apply interpersonal and other skills (e.g., accepting feedback, listening actively, seeking input, collaborating) to establish and maintain professional relationships.
  9. E.9Engage in cultural humility in service delivery and professional relationships.
  10. E.10Apply culturally responsive and inclusive service and supervision activities.
  11. E.11Identify personal biases and how they might interfere with professional activity.
  12. E.12Identify and apply the legal, regulatory, and practice requirements (e.g., licensure, jurisprudence, funding, certification) relevant to the delivery of behavior-analytic services.

  Study guide, area E
• Area F13% of the exam

  Behavior Assessment

  Tasks

  8

  On the exam

  23

  Practice

  16

  In the mock

  24

  The 8 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. F.1Identify relevant sources of information in records (e.g., educational, medical, historical) at the outset of the case.
  2. F.2Identify and integrate relevant cultural variables in the assessment process.
  3. F.3Design and evaluate assessments of relevant skill strengths and areas of need.
  4. F.4Design and evaluate preference assessments.
  5. F.5Design and evaluate descriptive assessments.
  6. F.6Design and evaluate functional analyses.
  7. F.7Interpret assessment data to determine the need for behavior-analytic services and/or referral to others.
  8. F.8Interpret assessment data to identify and prioritize socially significant, client-informed, and culturally responsive behavior-change procedures and goals.

  Study guide, area F
• Area G14% of the exam

  Behavior-Change Procedures

  Tasks

  19

  On the exam

  25

  Practice

  38

  In the mock

  27

  The 19 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. G.1Design and evaluate positive and negative reinforcement procedures.
  2. G.2Design and evaluate differential reinforcement (e.g., DRA, DRO, DRL, DRH) procedures with and without extinction.
  3. G.3Design and evaluate time-based reinforcement (e.g., fixed-time) schedules.
  4. G.4Identify procedures to establish and use conditioned reinforcers (e.g., token economies).
  5. G.5Incorporate motivating operations and discriminative stimuli into behavior-change procedures.
  6. G.6Design and evaluate procedures to produce simple and conditional discriminations.
  7. G.7Select and evaluate stimulus and response prompting procedures (e.g., errorless, most-to-least, least-to-most).
  8. G.8Design and implement procedures to fade stimulus and response prompts (e.g., prompt delay, stimulus fading).
  9. G.9Design and evaluate modeling procedures.
  10. G.10Design and evaluate instructions and rules.
  11. G.11Shape dimensions of behavior.
  12. G.12Select and implement chaining procedures.
  13. G.13Design and evaluate trial-based and free-operant procedures.
  14. G.14Design and evaluate group contingencies.
  15. G.15Design and evaluate procedures to promote stimulus and response generalization.
  16. G.16Design and evaluate procedures to maintain desired behavior change following intervention (e.g., schedule thinning, transferring to naturally occurring reinforcers).
  17. G.17Design and evaluate positive and negative punishment (e.g., time-out, response cost, overcorrection).
  18. G.18Evaluate emotional and elicited effects of behavior-change procedures.
  19. G.19Design and evaluate procedures to promote emergent relations and generative performance.

  Study guide, area G
• Area H11% of the exam

  Selecting and Implementing Interventions

  Tasks

  8

  On the exam

  20

  Practice

  16

  In the mock

  21

  The 8 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. H.1Develop intervention goals in observable and measurable terms.
  2. H.2Identify and recommend interventions based on assessment results, scientific evidence, client preferences, and contextual fit (e.g., expertise required for implementation, cultural variables, environmental resources).
  3. H.3Select socially valid alternative behavior to be established or increased when a target behavior is to be decreased.
  4. H.4Plan for and attempt to mitigate possible unwanted effects when using reinforcement, extinction, and punishment procedures.
  5. H.5Plan for and attempt to mitigate possible relapse of the target behavior.
  6. H.6Make data-based decisions about procedural integrity.
  7. H.7Make data-based decisions about the effectiveness of the intervention and the need for modification.
  8. H.8Collaborate with others to support and enhance client services.

  Study guide, area H
• Area I11% of the exam

  Personnel Supervision and Management

  Tasks

  7

  On the exam

  19

  Practice

  14

  In the mock

  20

  The 7 tasks, as the BACB prints them

  1. I.1Identify the benefits of using behavior-analytic supervision (e.g., improved client outcomes, improved staff performance and retention).
  2. I.2Identify and apply strategies for establishing effective supervisory relationships (e.g., executing supervisor-supervisee contracts, establishing clear expectations, giving and accepting feedback).
  3. I.3Identify and implement methods that promote equity in supervision practices.
  4. I.4Select supervision goals based on an assessment of the supervisee’s skills, cultural variables, and the environment.
  5. I.5Identify and apply empirically validated and culturally responsive performance management procedures (e.g., modeling, practice, feedback, reinforcement, task clarification, manipulation of response effort).
  6. I.6Apply a function-based approach (e.g., performance diagnostics) to assess and improve supervisee behavior.
  7. I.7Make data-based decisions about the efficacy of supervisory practices.

  Study guide, area I

Source: BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), Updated 09/2024, Copyright 2022, BACB. The tasks and the number of questions per area are the BACB's; the guides, questions and the choice of the mock's 10 unscored questions are ours.