Standard 3.03: Exam and competency assessment integrity
RBTs don't cheat, or help anyone else cheat, on RBT competency assessments or the RBT exam. They follow the rules of the BACB and its approved testing centers, including the rules against falsifying information and against unauthorized collection, use or sharing of exam materials.
What it means in practice
The standard covers both the competency assessments and the RBT examination. For assessments, that means every task is actually demonstrated and observed, and nothing is marked complete that wasn't. For the exam, it means following Pearson VUE testing-center rules and BACB requirements.
The RBT Handbook states that exam content is confidential and must never be shared, discussed, posted or uploaded, before, during or after the exam. Buying or using "recalled" exam questions, or describing questions you saw to a friend, are violations. The handbook also says candidates must report confirmed or suspected exam misconduct by others to the BACB immediately.
Consequences can include invalidated exam results or certification and a bar from retesting until the matter is resolved. Original practice questions written from the Test Content Outline, like the ones on this site, are a legitimate way to study.
Scenarios
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| A friend who took the RBT exam last month offers to tell you which questions they remember. | Decline. Exam content is confidential, and receiving it counts as unauthorized use of exam materials. The handbook also requires you to report suspected exam misconduct to the BACB. |
| Your competency assessor is short on time and suggests marking the last few tasks as passed without observing them. | Don't agree. Ask to schedule another time to demonstrate the tasks. Falsified assessment documentation would violate this standard for you as well as the assessor. |
| An online group advertises a paid file of "real RBT exam questions". | Don't buy or use it. Report it to the BACB. |
| After passing, you want to post in a study group exactly which topics and questions came up so others can prepare. | Don't. Sharing or discussing exam content is prohibited. You can recommend the Test Content Outline and legitimate study methods instead. |
Practice questions
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Question 1An RBT passes the exam. A friend who is still studying sends a social media message asking which questions were on the test. What may the RBT share?
Show answer
A: No exam question content, now or later. Candidates agree that they are permanently prohibited from disclosing exam question content in any form, including social media and online study sites. The ethics code also bars helping others cheat and distributing exam materials.
- B: Reconstructing questions from memory is still disclosure of exam content.
- C: The ban on disclosing exam content is permanent, not time-limited.
- D: Private electronic messages are a form of disclosure and are covered by the ban.
Task F.6 · RBT Handbook p. 12 · RBT Ethics Code 3.03
Answer every question to see your score.
Where it sits in the code
Standard 3.03 is in section 3, Responsibilities to the BACB and BACB-Required Supervisor, of the RBT Ethics Code (2.0). On the exam it relates to task F.1 Core ethics principles. Read the official text for the exact wording.
Related standards: 3.02 Honesty with the BACB and your supervisor, 3.05 Intellectual property.