Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Practice Test

What does "trials to criterion" measure?

1. Duration of tasks

2. Performance

3. Frequency of attempts

4. Quality of responses

The correct answer is: Performance

"Trials to criterion" is a measurement used to evaluate performance by determining how many attempts or trials it takes for an individual to reach a predetermined level of success or mastery in a particular skill or behavior. This method is particularly useful in a behavioral analytic context because it provides a quantitative means to assess the effectiveness of interventions over time. In practice, by tracking the number of trials taken to achieve the criterion, practitioners can analyze the individual's learning progress and performance. If fewer trials are needed to reach the criteria over time, it often indicates improved performance and greater skill acquisition. The other options do not align with the concept of "trials to criterion." For instance, measuring the duration of tasks focuses on how long it takes to complete an activity, while frequency of attempts would simply count how often an individual attempts a task without considering the success criteria. Quality of responses relates to how well a response meets established standards but does not provide a direct measure of the number of attempts to achieve a certain level of performance.