Defining Behaviour
Collecting Behavioural Data
http://behavioursupports.wikispaces.com
Which is the best definition?
A) Kyle is so defiant and oppositional. He
tantrums for no reason at all. He doesn’t care
about school, and has done absolutely no work
this year.
B) Kyle’s behaviour is awful. He is such a nice
kid, but he tantrums without warning. I feel like
I can’t get him to do any work, and his behaviour
is escalating.
Answer
• They are both relatively equal
• Both offer very little useful information about
the problematic behaviour
(‘B’ can only be the winner because it is nicer)
Defining Behaviour
• Accurately measuring behaviour is the only
way we can determine changes in behaviour
• To measure accurately, we must carefully
define observable behaviours
Behavioural Descriptions
1. What does the behaviour look like/sound
like?
2. What would you observe that indicated the
behaviour was beginning and ending?
Based on your description of the target
behaviour, would 2 (or more) independent
observers agree when it was occurring?
Example
• Kicking - defined as striking another person, or
attempting to strike, making contact with the
foot or leg on any part of the body, with
sufficient force that the contact can be heard
from at least 5 feet away, and/or the person
who has been hit reports pain and/or injury.
Can you find a way to ‘kick’ that wouldn’t be
captured in our data using this definition?
Baseline Data
• Information about the occurrence of the
behaviour to be changed, under current
conditions
• Reveals the severity of the problem
• Helps you plan interventions, and later
measure behavioural change
Selected Data Collection Methods
Event/Frequency Recording
Records each instance of a behaviour that occurs
during a specified interval of time.
Kicking
9:00-9:15
9:16-9:30
9:31-9:45
Good For
Discrete (‘one-off’) behaviours where the duration
is not important.
Selected Data Collection Methods
Duration Recording
Records the total time, out of a designated interval of time, a
person is involved in an activity.
Start
Stop
Duration
9:15
9:24
9 minutes
2:12
2:15
3 minutes
Good For
Determining the amount of time spent doing something,
whether total time during a specific period, or total time of an
episode (e.g., duration of tantrum, duration of crying).
Selected Data Collection Methods
Interval Recording
Estimates the frequency/duration of behaviour by
recording the presence or absence of the behaviour
during intervals of time.
Partial-Interval:
presence of behaviour scored if it occurs at any time during the interval.
Whole-Interval:
presence of behaviour scored if it occurs continuously during the interval.
Momentary Time Sampling:
presence of behaviour scored if it occurs at the end of the interval.
Partial Interval Recording
Frequency Count
9:00-9:10
9:11-9:20
9:21-9:30
Partial Interval (did the behaviour occur at any time during interval?)
Yes
No
Yes
Whole Interval Recording
Duration of Event
9:00-9:10
9:11-9:20
9:21-9:30
9:31-9:40
9:41-9:50
Whole Interval Recording (did the behaviour occur for the whole interval?)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Key Points
Top 5 Benefits of accurate and ongoing data recording:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Systematic and precise observation and measurement of
behaviour, which will assist staff in determining the most
effective way to change or alter behaviour.
An accurate determination of the effect of a behavioural
intervention.
A way to analyze the success of intervention.
An objective record of behaviour that has actually occurred,
which relieves us from trying to remember what has occurred or
from guessing at the current severity of behaviour.
An opportunity to detect even very gradual change and progress.
Key Points
Important points about collecting baseline data:
1. Current programming does not need to be stopped.
2. Collect data in environments and situations that are
as natural as possible.
3. Use baseline data as a measure against which to
compare hypotheses that test the possible
communicative functions of the behaviour.
4. Obtain a stable baseline before beginning
intervention.