How Many Questions Are on the RBT Exam – And What That Means for You

Has it been your lifelong dream to work in the behavioral field as a Registered Behavior Technician? To work with at-risk kids in order to give them a better and prosperous future?

Well, to become a Registered Behavior Technician, you must possess the certification first. And for that, you need to take the RBT exam. 

The RBT exam is the final hurdle in the strenuous RBT journey. Once you pass it, you can practice in the field actively as a registered technician. 

So, how many questions are on the RBT exam? And more importantly, what does that mean for you as a candidate? Let’s find out! 

How Many Questions Are On The RBT Exam?

In the RBT exam, you’ll face a total of 85 questions. All questions will be in MCQ-format.

As in, you’ll need to mark one correct answer only. However, not all 85 questions will count towards the final score. Only 75 MCQs of the 85 MCQs will contribute to your test results. 

Sounds a bit confusing, right? Well, let’s simplify it by breaking the facts down for you. 

Only 75 of the questions will hold actual marks and they will cover a total of six RBT sections – measurement, assessment, skill acquisition, behavior reduction, documentation and reporting, and professional conduct/ethics. 

But what about the other 10 questions?

Well, they are, to some extent, filler questions. It’s more like a survey that the board conducts in order to take input from the RBT candidates. 

Based on the feedback, the exam committee refines the questions or makes improvements. 

Hence, you don’t have to worry about getting these questions wrong as there is practically no wrong answer. It’s just for evaluation. Furthermore, you can use the extra time to focus on the hard questions. 

Type Of Questions You’ll Find In The RBT Exam

As you know already, the MCQ’s will cover six different RBT sections. Let’s find out how many questions you can expect from each section:

1. Measurement: You’ll get 12 questions from this section. The measurement section involves questions related to data collection. Based on this measurement, you can identify behavioral patterns and evaluate possible interventions. 
2. Assessment: You’ll get 6 questions from this assessment section. You’ll receive comprehensive MCQs here to determine behavioral therapy for at-risk clients based on their social and developmental psychology. 
3. Skill Acquisition: You’ll get a total of 24 questions from the skill acquisition section. You’ll get questions related to task analysis and implementation, discrimination training, etc. here. In simpler terms, this section allows you to prove your qualifications as a behavioral trainer.
4. Behavior Reduction: You’ll get a total of 12 questions from behavior Reduction section. You’ll be tested on your knowledge on undesirable behavioral traits in clients and how you can mediate the tension via behavioral training sessions. 
5. Documentation & Reporting: You’ll get only 10 questions from this section. You’ll be tested on your knowledge on HIPAA regulations, client-technician privileges, etc.
6. Professional Conduct/Ethics: You’ll get a total of 11 questions from this section. All registered behavior technicians need to follow the RBT Ethics Code 2.0 as of 2022. Hence, this section tests your knowledge on the ethical codes of conduct in this line of profession critically. 

What’s The Passing Score Of The RBT Examination?

Even though there are 85 MCQs, the RBT exam grades up to 250 points. Out of 250 points, you need to score a minimum of 200 points to pass the RBT examination. 

The score is determined based on the modified Angoff method. Out of 75 MCQs, you’ll need to get a minimum of 68 right to pass the exam i.e. score 200 out of 250.

Where Do You Take The RBT Exam?

The RBT certification is handled by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. However, you don’t have to take the exam itself centrally. 

BACB will charge a $50 application fee to process your RBT exam application. Afterward, you’ll need to pay an additional $45 as the exam appointment fee with Pearson Vue (if it’s the test administrator). 

Now, here’s the tricky part. You can physically take the exam at any one of the Pearson Testing Centres. Up until 2023, you could take the test online as well upon meeting the Pearson OnVue requirements. 

Read more – How to Sign Up for the RBT Exam (Pearson Guide)

However, it’s no longer in effect due to security concerns. If you need to sit for the RBT exam, you’ll need to take the exam in person at any one of the nearby Pearson Vue centres. 

Expert Time Management Tips To Help With Your RBT Exam Preparation 

Most candidates miss out on a first-time chance due to common RBT exam mistakes. So, here’s a couple of expert time management tips to ensure an efficient preparation for the RBT exam:

Go Through The RBT Task List Thoroughly 

No one likes to see out-of-syllabus questions on exam day, right? That’s why you need to go through the RBT task list religiously before the exam to avoid any unexpected surprises. 

Set A Section-Wise Time Limit 

As mentioned already, you’ll get a total of 90 minutes i.e. an hour and a half to complete the RBT exam. Within 90 minutes, you’ll have to answer 85 questions. That means, you’ll get barely a minute and a few seconds for each question. That’s not a lot of time, is it?

Again, all of the questions will be in MCQ-format. So, you need to set a section-wise time limit in advance to answer all questions within time limits. 

Now, how will that work? Think of it like this. The Skill Acquisition section covers 32% of the exam with 24 questions. So, you need to set aside 20 to 25 minutes max just for this section. If you take longer, you won’t have enough time to answer from other sections properly.

Similarly, you can divide each section into little time capsules. For instance – you can set 12-15 minutes for the Measurement section, 6-8 minutes for the Assessment sections, 10 minutes for Documentation and Reporting, and so on. This will help you to manage your time greatly. 

Go Over The 40-Hour Training 

Sharpen your skills by reviewing the course materials multiple times. Revisit the difficult sections over and over again until it takes you less than a minute to solve the problems. 

Divide & Conquer

If you don’t have enough time to practice, you should prioritize the important sections first. 

For instance – you’ll need to answer 24 questions from the Skill Acquisition section. So, if you don’t have much time to go through the entire course in a detailed manner, start with the section you can use to secure most marks. 

Prepare Well For The Competency Assessment 

Before you can take the RBT exam, you need to complete the RBT Competency Assessment first. Alongside, you’ll also need to pass the background check after you complete your 40 hour training.

Now, why is this assessment so important? The answer is pretty straightforward. In the assessment, you’ll need to complete a total of 20 practical tasks. These tasks will require intense knowledge on the four primary RBT sections – Measurement, Assessment, Skill Acquisition and Behavior Reduction, and lastly, Professionalism. 

In essence, you’ll get a chance to showcase your real-life skills in the practical behavioral field. By simulating client-technician interactions and solving day-to-day behavioral problems via roleplay, you’ll get to practically exercise the lessons you’ve learnt in the course.

Do you get the importance now? If you prepare well for the competency test, you’ll easily be able to do well in the MCQs. Hence, we’d highly recommend prioritizing the coursework for the assessment, as it’ll significantly reduce your overall workload in the long run.

Complete Practice Tests Everyday 

You can outsource tons of practice exams online to test your knowledge in real-time. There are three benefits to completing practice tests regularly. Firstly, you’ll get an idea of the common question patterns.

Secondly, you’ll be able to ace the difficult questions and logic-based MCQs easily by practicing them over and over again. 

And last but not the least, you’ll grasp how to complete 85 questions in 90 minutes. For instance – if you can complete up to 70 questions the first time around, you can continue to practice and improve your speed with each practice test. 

That means, by the 5th or 6th time around, you’ll be able to easily cover all 85 questions with time to spare.

This will reduce both confusion and anxiety during the actual RBT exam. You’ll have enough confidence to ace all the questions within the given time limit. 

Final Verdict 

On that note, it’s time to bid adieu for today. Remember to manage your time efficiently while you’re taking the RBT exam. You’ll barely get a minute to answer each question, so use your time wisely to answer all questions correctly!

And if you cannot seem to solve a certain question, it’s always a good idea to leave it for the time being and focus on other questions first. Otherwise, you’ll lose precious time and energy alongside your concentration for the exam. 

So, keep calm and tread lightly. Try to answer all 85 questions within the given 90 minutes. Prioritize on answering sure shot questions over complicated ones to secure the most marks!

We wish you all the very best for the exam.