RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) - Exam content domains and tasks

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Theodore

The RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) defines the knowledge, skills, and abilities that will appear on the RBT® certification examination starting in 2026. It details the exam structure with 75 scored items and 10 unscored pilot questions and organizes 43 tasks across six domains. The domains cover data collection and graphing, behavior assessment, behavior acquisition, behavior reduction, documentation and reporting, and ethics, including concrete task examples and required competence themes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Exam structure and timeline

Task organization by domain

Domain A: Data Collection and Graphing

Measurement and recording

Graphing and data summaries

Trend identification and data fidelity risks

Domain B: Behavior Assessment

Preference assessments

Skill strengths and deficits

Functional assessment components

Domain C: Behavior Acquisition

Reinforcement procedures

Conditioned reinforcers

Teaching and chaining

Discrimination, prompting, fading, generalization, shaping, token economies

Domain D: Behavior Reduction

Functional relations and common behavior functions

Antecedent interventions and differential reinforcement

Extinction and punishment procedures

Secondary effects and crisis/emergency procedures

Domain E: Documentation and Reporting

Communication with supervision and timeliness

Reporting variables affecting client progress

Objective session documentation

Domain F: Ethics

Core principles of the ethics code

Competence and supervision requirements

Confidential information and public statements

Multiple relationships and gift guidelines

Interpersonal and professional skills

RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) The RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed. ; TCO) describes the content that will appear on the RBT® certification examination beginning in 2026. The TCO represents the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified as being important for entry-level behavior technicians by the mostrecent job task analysis (see the December 2023 BACB Newsletter) . The RBT examination includes 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pilot questions. The TCO includes 43 tasks organized in 6 domains as follows: | Domain | \# of Questions (% of Exam) | | --- | --- | | A. Data Collection and Graphing | 13 (17%) | | B. Behavior Assessment | 8 (11%) | | C. Behavior Acquisition | 19 (25%) | | D. Behavior Reduction | 14 (19%) | | E. Documentation and Reporting | 10 (13%) | | F. Ethics | 11 (15%) | | Total Questions | 75 | | Domain | \# of Questions | | --- | --- | | A. Data Collection and Graphing | 13 | | A. 1. Implement continuous measurement procedures (e.g. , frequency, duration, latency, interresponse time) . | A.5. Describe behavior and environment in observable and measurable terms. | | A.2. Implement discontinuous measurement procedures (e.g. , partial & whole interval, momentary time sampling) . | A.6. Calculate and summarize data in different ways (e.g. , rate, mean duration, percentage) . | | A.3. Implement permanent product recording procedures. | A.7. Identify trends in graphed data. | | A.4. Enter data and update graphs. | A.8. Describe the risks associated with unreliable data collection and poor procedural fidelity. | | B. Behavior Assessment | 8 | | B. 1. Conduct preference assessments (e.g. , multiple stimulus, paired stimulus, free operant) . | B.3. Participate in components of functional assessment procedures (e.g. , descriptive assessment, functional analysis) . | | B.2. Participate in assessments of relevant skill strengths and deficits (e.g., curriculum-based, developmental, social skills) . | | | C. Behavior Acquisition | 19 | C. 1. Implement positive and negative reinforcement procedures (e.g. , immediately, contingently, according to schedules of reinforcement) along a continuum of dimensions (e.g. , magnitude, intensity, variety) . C.2. Implement procedures to establish and use conditioned reinforcers. C.3. Implement discrete-trial teaching procedures. C.4. Implement naturalistic teaching procedures (e.g. , incidental teaching, natural environment training) . C.5. Implement task analyzed chaining procedures (e.g. , forward, backward, total task) . C.6. Implement discrimination training. C.7. Implement procedures using stimulus and response prompts that include appropriate fading procedures (e.g. , errorless, least-to-most, stimulus fading, time delay) . C.8. Implement generalization procedures (e.g. , conduct intervention procedures across settings, people, and stimuli) . C.9. Distinguish between maintenance and acquisition procedures. C. 10. Implement shaping procedures. C. 11. Implement token economies. Updated 09/2024, Copyright © 2023, BACB® | All rights reserved. This document should be referenced as: Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2023) . RBT test content outline (3rd ed.). [https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-outline-3rdEd/](https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-outline-3rdEd/) D. Behavior Reduction 14 | D. 1. Identify common functions of behavior. | D.5. | Implement positive and negative punishment procedures | | --- | --- | --- | | D.2. Implement antecedent interventions (e.g. , NCR, highprobability request sequences, demand fading) .
D.3. Implement differential reinforcement procedures (e.g. , DRO, DRA, DRI, DRL, FCT) . | D.6. | (e.g. , time-out) .
Describe secondary effects of extinction (e.g., extinction burst, response variation, resurgence, emotional responding) and punishment (e.g., emotional responses, escape and avoidance) . | | D.4. Implement extinction procedures. | D.7. | Implement crisis/emergency procedures. | | E. Documenta

FAQs

When does the RBT exam content outline apply and what does it cover?

It describes content appearing on the RBT® certification examination beginning in 2026. It covers the knowledge, skills, and abilities important for entry-level behavior technicians, organized into tasks and domains.

How many questions are scored versus unscored on the RBT examination?

The exam includes 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pilot questions.

How are tasks organized within the RBT Test Content Outline?

The outline includes 43 tasks organized into 6 domains: Data Collection and Graphing, Behavior Assessment, Behavior Acquisition, Behavior Reduction, Documentation and Reporting, and Ethics.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Theodore