Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Practice Test 2025 - Free BCBA Practice Questions and Study Guide

Prompt fading is a crucial technique in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) aimed at reducing prompt dependence among learners. The primary purpose of prompt fading is to gradually decrease the level of assistance provided to a learner for completing a task, allowing them to become more independent in their skills.

When a learner is initially taught a new behavior, prompts (such as verbal hints, physical guidance, or visual cues) can be used to facilitate their participation or response. However, if these prompts are always provided at the same level of intensity, the learner may become reliant on them, leading to prompt dependence. This dependence can hinder the learner’s ability to perform the target behavior independently.

By systematically fading the prompts over time, the learner is encouraged to rely less on external cues and more on their own abilities. This gradual reduction in prompts helps to build confidence and independence in the learner, allowing them to learn how to execute the desired behavior without needing constant support.

Other options, while related to teaching strategies, do not align with the specific intention of prompt fading. Maintaining high levels of assistance contradicts the goal of fostering independence, immediate reinforcement pertains more to motivation strategies rather than prompting, and evaluating student performance regularly is part of assessment practices rather than the fading process itself.