ABA Measurement Basics

ABA Measurement Basics (Cooper C3 & C4): Count, Rate, Percentage, Duration, Latency, and IRT This episode explains how the way behavior occurs across time determines which measurement to use, organizing Cooper’s C3 occurrence measures and C4 temporal measures around behavior’s repeatability, temporal extent, and temporal locus. It reviews count/event recording for discrete behaviors, clarifies that “frequency” can mean count or rate, and shows how rate (responses per unit time) adds needed time context but may not fit discrete trials or extended-duration behaviors. It defines percentage as a proportion per 100 opportunities (e.g., accuracy), notes limitations such as small denominators, the need to report the divisor, and that percentage cannot assess fluency. It then covers duration (total per session or per occurrence), latency (time from stimulus/opportunity to response onset), and interresponse time (time between consecutive responses) and ends with exam-focused cues for choosing among these measures. 00:00 Choosing the Right Measure 00:10 Behavior Across Time Basics 01:08 Count and Event Recording 02:47 Rate Responses Per Time 04:21 Percentage and Accuracy 06:12 Duration Measuring Time Engaged 07:02 Latency Wait Time 08:00 Interresponse Time IRT 08:44 Final Rule and Recap