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Types of Data Collection and Measurement

Author: Capella Partnered with CARD

what's covered
This lesson will explore different types of data collection and measurement by defining and discussing the following:
  1. Frequency and Rate
  2. Duration
  3. Response Latency
  4. Inter-Response Time
  5. Percent of Occurrence
  6. Interval Recording
  7. Permanent Product Recording

1. Frequency and Rate

You are responsible for collecting data on problem behavior throughout your sessions. In the behavior intervention plan (BIP), the BCBA will mark which type of measurement you should be using. First, let’s look at frequency and rate.

Frequency is the number of times the behavior is observed – a simple tally of each occurrence of behavior per observation period.

EXAMPLE

If Deion engaged in throwing 15 times during a therapy session, the frequency would be 15 instances of throwing.

It is important to note that some people will use frequency interchangeably with rate (the next term that we will discuss) to mean count per unit of time, rather than simply the total count.

EXAMPLE

Five occurrences per hour (rate) vs. 5 occurrences (count).

Video Transcript

Rate is the number of times a behavior occurs in a specified amount of time. We can convert frequency to rate of problem behavior during a time period (for example, rate per minute or rate per hour) by dividing by the length of the observation in minutes, hours, etc.

EXAMPLE

If Xixi engaged in 15 instances of throwing during a three-hour session, then the hourly rate of throwing would be five times per hour.

Video Transcript

hint
For frequency or rate data collection, you may use a counter or clicker, tally marks on paper, etc.

terms to know

Frequency
The number of times the behavior is observed
Rate
The number of times a behavior occurs in a specified amount of time

2. Duration

Duration refers to the amount of time a particular behavior lasts from beginning to end.

Record the length of each episode of the problem behavior from start to finish on the behavior management data sheet.

EXAMPLE

If Latanya started to engage in a tantrum at 12:05 pm and stopped engaging in the tantrum at 12:45 pm, then the duration of the tantrum was 40 minutes.

We might also look at the total duration per session. For this, we would add the different durations together.

EXAMPLE

If Latanya started to engage in a tantrum at 12:05 pm and stopped engaging in the tantrum at 12:10 pm (duration five minutes), started to engage in a tantrum at 12:21 pm and stopped engaging in the tantrum at 12:28 pm (seven minutes), and started to engage in the tantrum at 12:35 pm and stopped engaging in the tantrum at 12:44 pm (nine minutes), then the total duration was 21 minutes.

We might also look at the mean duration. For this, we would take the total time and divide it by the total number of instances of the behavior.

EXAMPLE

The total amount of time that Latanya engaged in the tantrum was 21 minutes, divided by the number of tantrums, three, would be a mean of seven minutes per tantrum.

hint
For duration data collection, you might use a clock, timer, stopwatch, etc.

Video Transcript
term to know

Duration
The total amount of time the behavior lasts from start to finish

3. Response Latency

Response latency measures the time it takes between an event and the time the patient begins responding.

Start recording when the stimulus has been presented and stop recording when the patient starts to engage in the behavior.

EXAMPLE

Maksim takes a long time to come to the dinner table when called by his caregiver. If his caregiver calls him over at 6:05 pm and he does not start walking over to the table until 6:13 pm, then the response latency would be eight minutes.

hint
For response latency data collection, you might use a clock, timer, stopwatch, etc.

term to know

Response Latency
Measure of elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a response

4. Inter-Response Time

Inter-response time (IRT) measures the time between two separate, sequential occurrences of a particular behavior.

Start timing at the end of one behavior and stop at the beginning of the next behavior.

EXAMPLE

If Lucia engages in an instance of verbal aggression at 1:50 pm and again at 1:53 pm, then the IRT is three minutes.

hint
For IRT data, you might use a clock, timer, stopwatch, etc.

term to know

Inter-Response Time (IRT)
Amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of a response class

5. Percent of Occurrence

Percent of occurrence is the number of times a particular behavior occurs out of all possible opportunities for the behavior to occur. This is a proportion, or ratio, that is typically expressed as a part per 100.

It is calculated by dividing the number of times the behavior occurred by the total number of opportunities for the behavior to occur.

EXAMPLE

If 20 items were presented to Francesco, and he threw five of those items, then he threw items in 25% of the opportunities. Francesco engaged appropriately with materials in 75% of the opportunities.

term to know

Percent of Occurrence
The number of times a particular behavior occurs out of all possible opportunities for the behavior to occur

6. Interval Recording

Interval recording refers to recording whether a behavior occurred within some interval of time. We will discuss these three types of interval data:

  • whole interval recording
  • partial interval recording
  • momentary time sampling
All of these are discontinuous measures, meaning you are not counting each individual instance of a behavior. Rather, you are dividing the observation period into intervals and recording whether the behavior occurred during that range of time.

With whole interval recording, the interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if the behavior occurs at any time during the interval. Calculate by dividing the number of “yes” intervals by the total number of intervals.

Video Transcript

With partial interval recording, the interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if it occurred at any point during the interval. Calculate by dividing the number of “yes” intervals by the total number of intervals.

EXAMPLE

If there are five minute intervals for a total of 20 minutes (four total intervals) and Aliyah engages in the behavior in two of the four intervals, the percent of intervals in which Aliyah engaged in the behavior would be 50%.

Video Transcript

Momentary time sampling means that at the end of a set interval, a “yes, the behavior occurred” is recorded if the behavior is occurring at the moment the interval ends. Calculate by dividing the number of “yes” intervals by the total number of intervals.

EXAMPLE

A technician sets a timer for five minutes. When the timer beeps, the technician records whether the behavior is occurring at that exact moment.

terms to know

Interval Recording
Record whether a behavior occurred within some interval of time.
Whole Interval Recording
The interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if the behavior occurs throughout the entire interval.
Partial Interval Recording
The interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if it occurred at any point during the interval.
Momentary Time Sampling
At the end of a set interval, a “yes, the behavior occurred” is recorded if the behavior is occurring at the moment the interval ends.

7. Permanent Product Recording

Permanent products are concrete results of a behavior that can be counted or measured. Permanent product recording is defined as the physical or tangible outcomes of a behavior, calculated by counting the number of items produced following behavior.

EXAMPLE

  • Gio completed 15 math problems.
  • Gio threw away five worksheets.
  • Gio wrote three sentences.

term to know

Permanent Product Recording
The physical or tangible outcomes of a behavior
summary
In sessions with your patients, you are responsible for collecting data on problem behavior. In this lesson, you learned about different types of data collection and measurement. You learned about measuring frequency, the number of times the behavior is observed; rate, the number of times a behavior occurs in a specified amount of time; and duration, the total amount of time the behavior lasts from start to finish. You learned that response latency measures the time it takes between an event and the time the patient begins responding, inter-response time (IRT) measures the time between two separate, sequential occurrences of a particular behavior, and percent of occurrence is the number of times a particular behavior occurs out of all possible opportunities for the behavior to occur. You covered the three types of interval recording – referring to whether a behavior occurred within some interval of time – including whole interval, partial interval, and momentary time sampling. Lastly, you explored permanent product recording, referring to the physical or tangible outcomes of a behavior.

Terms to Know
Duration

The total amount of time the behavior lasts from start to finish.

Frequency

The number of times the behavior is observed.

Inter-Response Time (IRT)

Amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of a response class.

Interval Recording

Record whether or not a behavior occurred within some interval of time.

Momentary Time Sampling

At the end of a set interval, a “yes, the behavior occurred” is recorded if the behavior is occurring at the moment the interval ends.

Partial Interval Recording

The interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if it occurred at any point during the interval.

Percent of Occurrence

The number of times a particular behavior occurs out of all possible opportunities for the behavior to occur.

Permanent Product Recording

The physical or tangible outcomes of a behavior.

Rate

The number of times a behavior occurs in a specified amount of time.

Response Latency

Measure of elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a response.

Whole Interval Recording

The interval is recorded as a “yes, the behavior occurred” interval if the behavior occurs throughout the whole entire interval.