Continuous measurement procedures involve observing and recording every instance of a behaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organisms engage in, which can be observed, measured, and analyzed. It encompasses all interactions an organism has with its environment, inc... More that occurs during a given observation period. In AppliedApplied means that the behaviors targeted for change in ABA are important and meaningful in everyday life, helping to improve the person’s quality of life or social functioning. Example A ... More Behavior Analysis (ABA), continuous measurement allows behavior analysts to track the frequencyIn Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), frequency refers to the number of times a specific behavior occurs during a given observation period. This is a basic measurement that tracks how often a behavior h... More, durationDuration refers to the length of time that a behavior occurs, from the moment the behavior starts to the moment it stops. In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), collecting duration data involves measurin... More, latencyLatency refers to the amount of time that passes between a given prompt or cue and the initiation of the desired behavior. It measures how long it takes for a person to begin the behavior after being ... More, or other dimensions of a behavior with precision. This method provides accurate and comprehensive data on how often and how long a behavior occurs, which helps in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.
Example
A behavior analyst is working with a student who exhibits tantrum behaviors. Using continuous measurement, the analyst tracks every instance of the student’s tantrums during a 30-minute observation period. The analyst records the frequency (how many tantrums occur), the duration (how long each tantrum lasts), and the latency (how much time passes between a given prompt and the onset of a tantrum). This detailed data allows the analyst to develop an effectiveEffective refers to one of the seven dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which emphasizes that interventions should result in meaningful and significant changes in ... More intervention plan and monitor the student’s progress over time.