Frequency, Rate, Duration, Latency, and Interresponse Time

Fourth Edition Task List.

Section 1

A-01, A-02, A-03, A-04, A-05

Frequency:  This is just how many times that a behavior occurred.

Remember, FREQUENCY=COUNT

Example:  The client screamed 7 times during the hour observation period.

Rate:  Ratio of count per observation time.

Example:  The client engages in an average of 16 instances of screaming per hour. 

Duration:  A measure of the total time that the behavior occurs.

Example:  One instance of screaming lasted for 37 seconds.

Latency:  The elapsed time from the onset of a stimulus to the time that the response started.

Example:  The teacher said touch dog, and 4 seconds later, the client touched the dog.  The latency is 4 seconds in this scenario.

Interresponse time (IRT): Elapsed time between two successive responses.

Example:  13 seconds passed in between the two instances of screaming.

You try.

1.  If you are tracking a behavior that usually lasts anywhere from 5 seconds to 3 minutes on average, what method would you use to measure the behavior?

Duration.

2.  Why is calculating IRT important?

Calculating IRT is a good way to determine an appropriate interval length for DRO schedules.  It will let you know how long the client goes on average WITHOUT engaging in a certain problem behavior.


Visit the following link for a powerpoint presentation comparing frequency, interval, and time-sampling methods of data collection.
http://bcbatestprep.blogspot.com/2014/06/comparison-of-frequency-interval-and.html