ABA Exam Review: Discrete Trial Training (DTT)

Overview

• Discrete Trial Training (DTT): Also known as discrete trial teaching, involves presenting instructions followed by planned consequences and feedback.
• Purpose: Fundamental for ABA practitioners, including RBTs and BCBAs.
• Characteristics:
  • Highly contrived, controlled, and planned.
  • Effective for teaching new skills quickly.
  • Involves rapid delivery of reinforcement and feedback.

Structure of a Discrete Trial

• Sequence:
  1. SD (Discriminative Stimulus): Instruction (e.g., "Touch blue", "Say cat").
  2. Prompt (if necessary): Must follow the SD and precede the response.
  3. Response: Learner's action (correct, incorrect, or no response).
  4. Consequence:
     • Reinforcement for correct responses.
     • Corrective feedback or punishment for incorrect responses.
     • Specific feedback is crucial.
  5. Post-Trial Pause: 2-3 seconds to distinguish between trials.

When to Use DTT

• Teaching New Behaviors:
  • Allows for controlled learning and environment.
  • Enables quick reinforcement and feedback.

Methods in DTT

• Mass Practice: Repeatedly presenting the same trial.
  • Risk of satiation on reinforcement.
  • Use token economies or limit outside reinforcement.
• No-No Prompt Strategy:
  • Used after errorless learning.
  • Cycle: No response → Retry → Prompt on third trial.
• Distractor Trials:
  • Introduce alternative trials for variety.
• Maintenance Targets:
  • Reintroduce mastered skills periodically.
• Transfer Trials:
  • Gradually reduce prompts to transfer control to the SD.

Important Considerations

• Controlled Environment:
  • Not naturalistic or incidental.
  • Not ideal for generalization.
• Reinforcement Strategy:
  • Plan to fade and alter reinforcement.
  • Token economies are effective.
• Specific Feedback:
  • Always label the behavior being reinforced.
  • Use language even if the learner is non-verbal.
• Corrective Feedback:
  • Maintain a neutral tone.
  • Match tone to consequence to guide behavior.

Conclusion

• DTT: Effective and straightforward.
• Usefulness: Great for initial teaching but not for generalization.
• Recommendation: Learn DTT as a foundational skill in ABA.

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Additional Resources

• RBT Exam Materials: btexamerview.com
• BCBA Materials: behavioranalyststudy.com
• Remember to like and subscribe for more ABA content.

Note: These notes provide a structured understanding of DTT, emphasizing its planned and repetitive nature, useful for teaching new behaviors in controlled settings.