Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Practice Test

In an analogue functional analysis, which condition is typically used as a control?

1. Assessment condition

2. Play condition

3. Intervention condition

4. Baseline condition

The correct answer is: Play condition

In an analogue functional analysis, the play condition is typically used as a control condition. During the play condition, the individual is placed in a setting that is low in demands and allows for free play, which is designed to provide a neutral environment. This serves as a baseline measure to assess the individual's behavior when there are minimal restrictions or expectations. The play condition helps to establish a comparison with other conditions that systematically introduce specific variables (such as demand or attention) that may elicit problem behaviors. By observing behavior in this more naturalistic and less structured environment, practitioners can differentiate between behaviors that occur due to environmental triggers as opposed to those that would be expected without those triggers. Thus, it provides an important point of reference for understanding the role of specific factors in behavior incidents.