Free BCBA Generalization & Maintenance Practice Test 2026 — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Questions

This free BCBA Generalization & Maintenance practice test covers generalization and maintenance — stimulus/response generalization, common stimuli, sufficient exemplars, self-management, and maintenance strategies. Each question includes a detailed explanation grounded in applied behavior analysis principles and the BACB Ethics Code.

Key Topics in BCBA Generalization & Maintenance

6 Free BCBA Generalization & Maintenance Practice Questions with Answers

Sample Question 1 — Generalization and Maintenance

A behavior analyst teaches a child to greet others by saying 'hello' at home. To promote generalization, what should the analyst do next?

  1. A. Only practice greetings at home until mastered.
  2. B. Reinforce greetings only in the presence of family members.
  3. C. Practice greeting behavior in various settings like school and parks. (Correct answer)
  4. D. Gradually reduce the reinforcement for the greeting behavior at home.

Correct answer: C

Explanation: Practicing the greeting behavior in various settings helps the child learn to apply the skill across different environments, promoting generalization.

Sample Question 2 — Generalization and Maintenance

A client consistently completes their work assignments in therapy sessions but struggles to do so at school. What strategy should a behavior analyst use to assist with generalization?

  1. A. Increase the duration of therapy sessions.
  2. B. Collaborate with school staff to reinforce work completion in the classroom. (Correct answer)
  3. C. Provide the client with extra assignments to complete at home.
  4. D. Use a token economy only during therapy sessions.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Collaborating with school staff to reinforce the behavior in the natural setting helps promote generalization by ensuring the behavior occurs outside of therapy sessions.

Sample Question 3 — Generalization and Maintenance

Which of the following best exemplifies response maintenance in behavior analysis?

  1. A. A child continues to wash their hands independently months after training has ended. (Correct answer)
  2. B. A student begins to use a new vocabulary word in various contexts.
  3. C. A teenager learns to drive with a manual transmission car.
  4. D. A teacher introduces new math concepts each week.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: Response maintenance occurs when a learned behavior continues after the intervention is no longer in place, such as continuing to wash hands independently.

Sample Question 4 — Generalization and Maintenance

Which method can be used to assess the maintenance of a learned behavior?

  1. A. Conducting follow-up observations after the intervention has ended. (Correct answer)
  2. B. Increasing the frequency of reinforcement during training.
  3. C. Implementing a new intervention strategy.
  4. D. Training the behavior in multiple settings concurrently.

Correct answer: A

Explanation: Conducting follow-up observations helps determine if the behavior continues to occur after the removal of the intervention, assessing maintenance.

Sample Question 5 — Generalization and Maintenance

What is an example of programming for generalization in skill acquisition?

  1. A. Teaching a child to tie their shoes using only one type of shoe.
  2. B. Including multiple exemplars of stimuli during training sessions. (Correct answer)
  3. C. Increasing the number of trials per session.
  4. D. Using discrete trial training exclusively in one environment.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Including multiple exemplars provides varied examples of stimuli or responses, increasing the likelihood that the learner will generalize the skill to new situations.

Sample Question 6 — Generalization and Maintenance

A student learned to raise their hand before speaking in class. How can the teacher ensure this behavior generalizes to other classes?

  1. A. Only reinforce the behavior in the current class.
  2. B. Have the student practice hand-raising during different class subjects. (Correct answer)
  3. C. Increase the punishment for speaking out of turn.
  4. D. Ignore all instances of raising hand.

Correct answer: B

Explanation: Practicing the behavior across different subjects ensures that the student can apply the skill in various contexts, promoting generalization.

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