Discrete Trial Training (DTT)

Technical definition, clinical ABA application, discriminative non-examples, and test-day traps for behavior analysis candidates.

Formal Definition

A structured instructional method in which a skill is broken into discrete units: Antecedent (SD) -> Prompt -> Learner Response -> Consequence (SR+/Correction) -> Inter-Trial Interval (ITI).

✓ Clinical Example

Instructor places three pictures on the table, says 'Point to dog' (SD), prompts the child's index finger, delivers verbal praise and a token, and pauses 3 seconds before resetting the materials.

✗ Contrast / Non-Example

Capitalizing on a child reaching for a toy during free play and prompting them to say 'car' (Natural Environment Teaching / incidental teaching).

⚠️ How This Concept is Tested (Exam Trap)

Contrast DTT with Natural Environment Teaching (NET): NET follows the learner's lead and uses naturally occurring motivating operations in real-world contexts.