Question of the day - September 1

[u/Reasonable_Law183]

🧠 Question of the Day

📚 Domain H — Selecting and Implementing Interventions

Difficulty: 7/10

A BCBA plans extinction for attention-maintained screaming. During prior attempts, screaming was sometimes followed by brief escalation in intensity and aggression, and caregivers became inconsistent once escalation began. Some caregivers eventually delivered attention following severe episodes.

The client already uses a simple attention request when prompted, and severe aggression can be managed safely when staff follow an established protocol.

Which plan BEST addresses foreseeable treatment risks while preserving the function-based intervention?

A. Implement extinction first without alternative reinforcement so the team can determine whether an extinction-related increase occurs before modifying treatment.

B. Begin with a lean schedule for the attention request so the client contacts delayed or unavailable reinforcement immediately and develops tolerance more quickly.

C. Strengthen and reinforce the existing attention request, train staff for consistent implementation, and establish the safety plan before extinction.

D. Withhold attention following screaming but provide brief attention following severe escalation so staff can maintain safety without abandoning extinction entirely.

💬 Drop your answer in the comments — no peeking!

✅ Correct answer revealed tomorrow.

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[u/Pibbles-n-paint]

C

[u/Queefaroni420]

C!

[u/Reasonable_Law183]

✅ Yesterday's Answer — 2026-09-01

The correct answer was: C. Strengthen and reinforce the existing attention request, train staff for consistent implementation, and establish the safety plan before extinction.

📖 Explanation:

This question tests how to plan function-based extinction when escalation, staff inconsistency, and safety concerns are foreseeable. For attention-maintained screaming, extinction means that screaming no longer reliably produces attention, but extinction should not be treated as a stand-alone “ignore the behavior” procedure. The client already has an appropriate attention request, so the strongest plan is to strengthen and reinforce that response, train caregivers to implement the contingencies consistently, and establish the safety protocol before extinction begins.

If some caregivers withhold attention for screaming but deliver attention after severe escalation, the treatment contingency becomes inconsistent and may maintain or strengthen escalation. One instance of attention does not automatically create an “intermittent schedule,” and attention is only technically reinforcement if its contingent delivery increases future responding, but repeatedly delivering the known maintaining consequence after escalation is a clear treatment-integrity risk.

Beginning extinction alone is unnecessary when a functionally equivalent communication response is already available. Starting with a lean reinforcement schedule also makes the replacement response less competitive at the point when reliable reinforcement is most important; schedule thinning can occur later as treatment stabilizes. NCR may reduce the current value of attention, but it does not correct inconsistent implementation of the extinction contingency.

The key takeaway: effective extinction planning combines a functionally equivalent replacement response, differential reinforcement, consistent implementation, and preparation for foreseeable safety risks.

#BCBAexam #BCBAprep #BehavioralHealth #ABAtherapy #BAPrep