22 Documentation & Reporting Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. An RBT is writing the note for a session that has just ended. Which entry is written most objectively?

   • A.The client was frustrated by the hard tasks and gave up on the program.
   • B.The client refused to work because he wanted to avoid the demands.
   • C.The client had a rough day and was not motivated to work.
   • D.The client pushed materials off the table twice during the matching program and did not respond to the next two instructions.✓ Answer

   An objective note records what an independent observer could have seen, heard and counted. Words like frustrated, motivated and 'because he wanted to' are inferences about internal states or motives that no one can verify from the record, so they cannot be checked or replicated; only the entry describing the physical actions and the responses that followed meets the standard.

   Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — describing session events objectivelyReport a problem with this question

2. 2. Which session-note statement is a description of behavior rather than a conclusion about it?

   • A.The client was seeking attention from the technician.
   • B.The client's hand-biting is maintained by escape.
   • C.The client bit the back of his left hand several times immediately after each instruction was delivered.✓ Answer
   • D.The client bit his hand in order to get out of the demand.

   A description reports the observed topography, count and timing of what happened; a conclusion names a purpose or a behavioral function. Statements of function are drawn by the supervising behavior analyst from assessment and data, so an RBT records what was seen and lets the supervisor interpret why it occurred.

   Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — objective description versus clinical interpretationReport a problem with this question

3. 3. An RBT writes: 'Client completed seven of ten receptive-identification trials independently and was clearly being defiant for the rest of the session.' What is the problem with this note?

   • A.The note should not include trial counts, only a summary of the whole session.
   • B.The note should have named the presumed function of the client's behavior.
   • C.The second half of the sentence states an interpretation of the client's attitude instead of an observable behavior.✓ Answer
   • D.There is no problem, because the note includes a specific number of trials.

   Accurate counts in one clause do not make the rest of the sentence objective. 'Defiant' is a character label that different readers would apply to different events, so it must be replaced with what was actually seen or heard, such as the instructions delivered and the responses that followed.

   Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — objective session-note languageReport a problem with this question

4. 4. Which sentence about caregiver involvement belongs in an objective session note?

   • A.The family does not seem to care about the program.
   • B.The caregiver reported that the token board was not used between the last two sessions.✓ Answer
   • C.Mom never follows through with the plan at home.
   • D.The caregiver was uncooperative again this week.

   A note records either what the RBT directly observed or what someone reported, clearly attributed as a report. Words like never, does not care and uncooperative are judgments about the family's character that cannot be verified, and they make the record less useful to the supervisor and less defensible if it is ever reviewed.

   Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — objective reporting of team and caregiver inputReport a problem with this question

5. 5. An RBT is scheduled for a session from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, but the client becomes ill and the session ends at 5:00 pm. What should the session note and the service record show?

   • A.No time at all, because a shortened session cannot be documented.
   • B.3:00 to 6:00 pm, because that time was reserved for the client.
   • C.3:00 to 5:00 pm, together with an objective statement of why the session ended early.✓ Answer
   • D.3:00 to 6:00 pm, with a comment that the supervisor approved the schedule.

   Documentation is the verification that a service was delivered, so the recorded time must match the time actually worked; recording hours that were not provided is falsification regardless of what was scheduled. The early end is also a variable worth documenting objectively, since illness can affect behavior and the data.

   Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — accurate completion of client documentation and billing recordsReport a problem with this question

6. 6. A busy RBT saves time by copying the previous day's session note and changing only the date. Why is this unacceptable?

   • A.The note must describe what actually happened in that specific session, and a duplicated note is an inaccurate record of the services delivered.✓ Answer
   • B.Session notes may only be written by the supervising behavior analyst.
   • C.Notes must be handwritten rather than typed.
   • D.Notes may not list the same program names on consecutive days.

   Each note is a factual record of one specific session and supports the claim that those services were provided. Two identical notes cannot both be true accounts of different sessions, so the practice produces a false record and leaves the supervisor without the session-to-session detail needed to make clinical decisions.

   Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — accurate documentation of services providedReport a problem with this question

7. 7. When should an RBT record data during a session?

   • A.Only when the supervisor is present to observe the session.
   • B.At the end of the workday, when all of the day's sessions can be summarized together.
   • C.At the end of the week, so that trends can be seen before anything is written down.
   • D.As the behavior occurs, or immediately afterward, using the data sheet and definitions specified in the plan.✓ Answer

   Data written from memory hours or days later are estimates, and memory systematically distorts frequency and sequence. Because the supervisor uses those data to decide whether a program continues, changes or ends, unreliable data can keep an ineffective program running or end an effective one.

   Source: BACB RBT Task List, Data Collection and Documentation — risks of unreliable data collectionReport a problem with this question

8. 8. An RBT notices that a tally was written in the wrong column on a paper data sheet earlier in the session. What is the appropriate way to fix it?

   • A.Correct it transparently as the organization's policy directs — for example, a single line through the entry, the correct value, and the RBT's initials and date — so the original entry remains readable.✓ Answer
   • B.Leave the error and mention it verbally at the next supervision meeting.
   • C.Erase the entry completely and write the correct value in its place.
   • D.Cover the entry with correction fluid so the sheet stays neat.

   Clinical records must remain auditable, which means a reader should be able to see both what was originally written and what it was changed to, by whom and when. Erasing or covering an entry destroys that trail and can look like an attempt to alter the record after the fact.

   Source: Standard clinical documentation practice and BACB RBT Ethics Code — accurate and truthful recordsReport a problem with this question

9. 9. After submitting a session note, an RBT realizes it reported data from the wrong client's program. What should the RBT do?

   • A.Ask a coworker to change the entry so the RBT is not blamed.
   • B.Wait for the supervisor to catch the error at the next data review.
   • C.Quietly write a new note for the correct client and delete the incorrect one without telling anyone.
   • D.Notify the supervisor immediately and correct the record through the organization's documented correction process.✓ Answer

   Once inaccurate information has been submitted it may already be guiding decisions, so it must be corrected promptly and the people relying on it must be told. Fixing it silently also removes the audit trail, which is exactly what an honest correction is supposed to preserve.

   Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — correcting inaccurate information and notifying the supervisorReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A fire drill interrupted a session and the RBT was unable to record data for part of it. What should the documentation show?

    • A.Only the data that were actually collected, with a note explaining the interruption and the period during which no data were recorded.✓ Answer
    • B.The average of the previous three sessions, entered for the missing period.
    • C.Nothing about the interruption, because the drill was outside the RBT's control.
    • D.An estimate of what the data probably would have been, based on the client's typical performance.

    Filling a gap with an estimate or an average puts numbers in the record that were never observed, which is fabrication and makes the whole data set untrustworthy. The gap itself, and the environmental event that caused it, are legitimate information the supervisor needs in order to interpret the day's data.

    Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — accurate records and variables affecting the sessionReport a problem with this question

11. 11. Which of the following should an RBT report to the supervisor immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled supervision meeting?

    • A.The RBT would like to request a change to next semester's schedule.
    • B.The client will begin occupational therapy at another clinic next month.
    • C.A preferred item the client usually chooses was unavailable for one trial.
    • D.The client had a seizure during the session and the caregiver was notified.✓ Answer

    Timeliness is triaged by risk: anything involving the client's health, safety, rights or a serious incident goes to the supervisor right away, because the supervisor may need to act before the next session. Routine logistics and scheduling can be raised at the next supervision contact without any risk to the client.

    Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — seeking clinical direction and reporting in a timely mannerReport a problem with this question

12. 12. At drop-off, a caregiver mentions that the client's physician increased the dose of a medication over the weekend. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Tell the caregiver which behaviors the higher dose is likely to produce.
    • B.Suggest that the caregiver hold the medication until the team can observe its effects.
    • C.Document the caregiver's report objectively and notify the supervisor promptly, because a health or medication change can affect behavior and the data.✓ Answer
    • D.Mention it only if problem behavior increases during the session.

    A medication or health change is a variable that can alter the value of reinforcers and the likelihood of behavior, so the supervisor needs it in order to read the data correctly rather than mistaking a real change for a program effect. The RBT records the fact as reported and gives no medical advice, which is outside the technician's role.

    Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — reporting variables that may affect client progressReport a problem with this question

13. 13. Over several weeks an RBT notices that the client's independent responding on one program has stayed flat, with no upward trend. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Stop running the program until the next supervision meeting.
    • B.Continue implementing the program as written and report the pattern to the supervisor so it can be evaluated.✓ Answer
    • C.Record slightly higher scores so that the program is not discontinued.
    • D.Add an extra prompt level to make the program easier for the client.

    A program that is not producing progress is exactly the kind of information the supervisor must have, but the decision to change it belongs to the supervisor, who needs accurate data to make it. Modifying or suspending the plan independently, or inflating the numbers, removes the very evidence the decision depends on.

    Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — reporting lack of progress and seeking clinical directionReport a problem with this question

14. 14. A caregiver asks the RBT, 'Do you think this plan is actually working, and can we add a goal for toilet training?' What is the best response?

    • A.Acknowledge the question without offering a clinical opinion, document the request, and pass it to the supervising behavior analyst.✓ Answer
    • B.Share the RBT's own opinion about the client's progress, based on the session data.
    • C.Tell the caregiver that questions about the program are not part of the RBT's job.
    • D.Start collecting baseline toileting data so the new goal can begin right away.

    Judging whether a plan is working and deciding what goals to add are clinical decisions that rest with the supervising behavior analyst, so the RBT acts as a conduit: listen, record, refer. Brushing the caregiver off is not the alternative, because carrying the intervention team's questions to the supervisor is part of the RBT's job.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — directing questions about services to the supervisor; scope of the RBT roleReport a problem with this question

15. 15. During a session an RBT observes unexplained injuries on the client, and the client makes a statement that raises a suspicion of abuse. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Question the client and the caregiver first to determine whether abuse actually occurred before reporting anything.
    • B.Follow the mandated-reporting requirements that apply in that jurisdiction and workplace and notify the supervisor, without waiting for the supervisor's permission to make a legally required report.✓ Answer
    • C.Write it in the session note and take no further action, since reporting is the supervisor's responsibility.
    • D.Report only if the supervisor agrees after reading the session note.

    The duty to report a reasonable suspicion is a legal obligation that sits on the individual who holds it, so it is not conditional on a supervisor's approval, and the reporter is not the investigator — suspicion, not proof, is the threshold. Which agency receives the report, in what form and by when varies by jurisdiction and employer policy, so the RBT follows local requirements while also informing the supervisor.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — compliance with mandated-reporting requirements and reporting risk of harmReport a problem with this question

16. 16. A coworker asks an RBT to run a procedure the RBT has never been trained on. Whom should the RBT contact first?

    • A.The board that issued the RBT's credential.
    • B.The client's caregiver, to ask whether they are comfortable with it.
    • C.The organization's human resources department.
    • D.The RBT's own supervisor, to report that the request is outside the RBT's trained competence and to ask for direction.✓ Answer

    An RBT provides services only within a defined role and only after the supervisor has confirmed competence, so an untrained procedure is never implemented on a coworker's say-so; the request goes to the supervisor and the communication is documented. Escalating past the supervisor is reserved for issues that involve that supervisor or that cannot be resolved with them.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — practicing within trained competence and seeking supervisor directionReport a problem with this question

17. 17. Which statement belongs in an incident report written after an episode of aggression?

    • A.A factual sequence of what happened before, during and after the behavior, who was present, the actions staff took, and the notifications that were made.✓ Answer
    • B.A recommendation that the behavior plan be changed to add a restrictive procedure.
    • C.An explanation of why the client became upset and what he was trying to achieve.
    • D.A statement that the substitute technician's inexperience caused the episode.

    An incident report is held to the same objectivity standard as a session note: it records the observable sequence and the response, because that record may later be reviewed by the supervisor, the organization or outside parties. Speculating about intent, assigning blame or recommending plan changes inserts opinions the RBT is not in a position to make and weakens the report as evidence.

    Source: BACB RBT Task List, Documentation and Reporting — objective documentation of session and incident eventsReport a problem with this question

18. 18. A client leaves the therapy room without permission and is found in the parking lot; no one is injured. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Mention it to the caregiver at pickup and consider the matter closed.
    • B.Note it in the session note and raise it at the next supervision meeting, since no one was hurt.
    • C.Notify the supervisor immediately and complete an incident report as the organization's policy requires, describing the event objectively.✓ Answer
    • D.Wait to see whether it happens again before reporting it.

    Whether an event requires immediate notification depends on the risk it created, not on whether harm happened to occur this time; leaving the setting unsupervised is a safety event with an obvious potential for serious harm. Immediate notification plus the organization's incident documentation lets the supervisor respond before the next session.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — reporting risk of harm; organizational incident-reporting requirementsReport a problem with this question

19. 19. A caregiver posts a photo of their child with the RBT and tells the RBT it is fine to share it in a private online group for behavior technicians. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Share it after cropping out the child's face, since the client then cannot be identified.
    • B.Share it, because the caregiver gave permission.
    • C.Share it only in a group whose members are all credentialed professionals.
    • D.Decline to share it, because identifying client information should not be posted on social media even with caregiver permission, with no name attached, or to a private audience.✓ Answer

    The standard for client information on social media is categorical rather than case-by-case, because control of the material is lost the moment it is posted and context, tags and metadata can re-identify a person the poster believed was anonymous. Caregiver permission, removal of the name, cropping and a closed audience do not change that, so the answer is to decline.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — not sharing identifying client information on social media or public websitesReport a problem with this question

20. 20. An RBT finishes an in-home session and must return the paper data sheets to the clinic the next morning. What is the appropriate handling?

    • A.Transport them in a closed, secured container and store them in the employer's designated secure location, following the organization's records policy.✓ Answer
    • B.Photograph the sheets with a personal phone and shred the originals.
    • C.Leave them with the caregiver until the next visit.
    • D.Leave the sheets in the trunk of the car overnight so they are not forgotten.

    Confidential records must stay under the control of the person responsible for them and inside the employer's approved storage system at every point, including while in transit. An unattended vehicle, a personal device and a client's home are all outside that chain of custody, and a personal phone copy also moves protected information onto equipment the employer cannot secure.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — protecting confidentiality of records; employer policy and applicable law on secure storage and transportReport a problem with this question

21. 21. While waiting in the clinic lobby, the parent of one client asks the RBT how a different child in the program is doing. What is the best response?

    • A.Answer briefly, since the two families already know each other.
    • B.Share only positive information, because that cannot cause harm.
    • C.Explain that the RBT is not able to discuss any client and redirect the conversation.✓ Answer
    • D.Give a general answer without using the other child's name.

    Confidentiality is not satisfied by leaving out a name, limiting the content to good news, or relying on who already knows whom, because in a shared lobby the listener can usually identify the child anyway. Client information is discussed only with authorized people, in a private setting, and only as far as job duties require.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — discussing confidential client information only as authorized and only as neededReport a problem with this question

22. 22. Late at night a caregiver texts the RBT's personal cell phone asking for that day's session data and for the RBT's opinion on whether the child should change schools. What should the RBT do?

    • A.Keep the exchange in the employer's approved channels rather than personal text, share only what the RBT's role and workplace policy permit, and route the question about schooling to the supervising behavior analyst.✓ Answer
    • B.Forward the caregiver's question to a coworker who knows the family better.
    • C.Block the number and say nothing further, to keep boundaries clear.
    • D.Send the data by text and give an honest opinion, since the caregiver is the client's parent.

    Protected client information belongs on employer-approved, secured channels, so sending it from a personal phone puts it outside any system the organization can safeguard or retain. Advice about a school placement is a clinical recommendation outside the technician's role, and simply cutting the caregiver off is not professional either — the request is documented and passed to the supervisor.

    Source: BACB RBT Ethics Code — confidential communication through approved channels; directing clinical questions to the supervisorReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the BACB RBT Task List and standard applied behavior analysis practice. RBT and BACB are marks of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BACB. Requirements, training rules, and the task list itself are revised periodically — confirm current requirements with the BACB and your supervisor before testing. About the RBT credential →