RBT Task List (3rd Edition): All 43 Tasks for 2026

The BACB'sRBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.)replaced the RBT Task List (2nd ed.) for every exam from 1 January 2026. It lists 43 tasks in six domains, and every question on the RBT exam tests one of them.

A. Data Collection and Graphing: 13 of 75 questions

8 tasks, called Measurement in the 2nd edition. The data collection and graphing quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. A.1Continuous measurement: frequency, duration, latency and interresponse time
  2. A.2Discontinuous measurement: partial interval, whole interval and momentary time sampling
  3. A.3Permanent product recording
  4. A.4Entering data and updating graphs
  5. A.5Describing behavior and environment in observable, measurable terms
  6. A.6Calculating and summarizing data: rate, mean duration, percentage
  7. A.7Identifying trends in graphed data
  8. A.8Risks of unreliable data and poor procedural fidelity

B. Behavior Assessment: 8 of 75 questions

3 tasks, called Assessment in the 2nd edition. The behavior assessment quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. B.1Preference assessments: multiple stimulus, paired stimulus, free operant
  2. B.2Assessing skill strengths and deficits: curriculum-based, developmental, social skills
  3. B.3Functional assessment components: descriptive assessment and functional analysis

C. Behavior Acquisition: 19 of 75 questions

11 tasks, called Skill Acquisition in the 2nd edition. The behavior acquisition quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. C.1Positive and negative reinforcement, schedules and dimensions of reinforcement
  2. C.2Establishing and using conditioned reinforcers
  3. C.3Discrete-trial teaching
  4. C.4Naturalistic teaching: incidental teaching and natural environment training
  5. C.5Task-analyzed chaining: forward, backward and total task
  6. C.6Discrimination training
  7. C.7Stimulus and response prompts and prompt fading
  8. C.8Generalization across settings, people and stimuli
  9. C.9Maintenance versus acquisition procedures
  10. C.10Shaping
  11. C.11Token economies

D. Behavior Reduction: 14 of 75 questions

7 tasks. The behavior reduction quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. D.1Common functions of behavior
  2. D.2Antecedent interventions: NCR, high-probability requests, demand fading
  3. D.3Differential reinforcement: DRO, DRA, DRI, DRL and FCT
  4. D.4Extinction
  5. D.5Positive and negative punishment, including time-out
  6. D.6Side effects of extinction and punishment
  7. D.7Crisis and emergency procedures

E. Documentation and Reporting: 10 of 75 questions

4 tasks. The documentation and reporting quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. E.1Passing the intervention team's concerns to the supervisor
  2. E.2Seeking clinical direction from the supervisor in good time
  3. E.3Reporting variables that affect progress: illness, medication, schedule changes
  4. E.4Objective session notes that meet legal and workplace rules

F. Ethics: 11 of 75 questions

10 tasks, called Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice in the 2nd edition. The ethics quiz draws practice questions from all of them.

  1. F.1Core principles of the RBT Ethics Code
  2. F.2Providing services only after demonstrating competence
  3. F.3Working only under ongoing supervision
  4. F.4Effective supervision practices
  5. F.5Confidential information
  6. F.6Public statements and social media
  7. F.7Multiple relationships
  8. F.8Giving and receiving gifts
  9. F.9Interpersonal and professional skills
  10. F.10Cultural humility and responsiveness

What changed from the 2nd edition

The outline grew from 37 tasks to 43, and most domains were renamed:

2nd edition (to 2025)Tasks3rd edition (from 2026)Tasks
A. Measurement6A. Data Collection and Graphing8
B. Assessment3B. Behavior Assessment3
C. Skill Acquisition12C. Behavior Acquisition11
D. Behavior Reduction6D. Behavior Reduction7
E. Documentation and Reporting5E. Documentation and Reporting4
F. Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice5F. Ethics10
  • Data Collection and Graphing dropped "prepare for data collection" and added calculating and summarizing data, reading trends in graphs, and the risks of unreliable data and poor procedural fidelity.
  • Behavior Acquisition dropped the tasks on identifying plan components and preparing for sessions, gave conditioned reinforcers a task of their own, folded stimulus control transfer into prompting and prompt fading, and added telling maintenance procedures apart from acquisition procedures.
  • Behavior Reduction added positive and negative punishment and the side effects of extinction and punishment, and dropped identifying the components of a behavior reduction plan.
  • Documentation and Reporting went from 5 tasks to 4. Handling confidential information now sits under Ethics.
  • Ethics replaced Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice and doubled from 5 tasks to 10, built on the RBT Ethics Code (2.0): competence, supervision, confidentiality, public statements, multiple relationships, gifts, professional skills and cultural humility.