Key Takeaways
- Continuous Measurement measures every single (relevant) behavioral response or occurrence. It employs frequency, rate, duration, latency, and IRT.
- Discontinuous Measurement focuses on sampling behavior rather than instances with partial interval recording, whole interval recording, & momentary time sampling.
- Extended intervals give out inconsistent results, and it’s recommended to avoid it.
- A combined approach is often necessary to record behavioral data accurately.
To become a reliable RBT, you must first know how to measure behavior reliably. To the common eye, behavior is something that’s unpredictable. But not to the trained eye.
Everything that we do, every reaction that we provide – none of it happens unprovoked. From the moment we are born, our environment shapes and configures our mentality.
As such, all behaviors are merely reactionary forces. By guiding or adjusting the environment accordingly, we can improve our behavior and vice versa. The role of a Registered Behavior Technician is to assist with this behavioral therapy, but for that, they must record, measure, and assess the behavior first. In ABA, behavior is measured via two primary procedures.
The first one is Continuous Measurement, and the second one is Discontinuous Measurement.
In Continuous Measurement, RBTs attempt to record every single instance of relevant behavior as they observe the client for behavioral abnormalities. Again, in Discontinuous Measurement, they attempt to take samples of relevant behavior during pertinent intervals.
Both procedures allow RBTs to observe and prepare behavioral records of the clients, which they later forward to their supervisor who can analyze the patterns from the behavioral data. The supervisors, in turn, provide treatment guidelines, which the RBT oversees, and implements to improve the behavioral condition of the client i.e. reinforce positive behavior.
In this guide, we’ll focus on the key differences between continuous and discontinuous measurement in ABA for RBTs and behavioral trainees alike. You’ll learn about the methodology applied by each procedure and their benefits so you can choose the best route accordingly.
Continuous vs Discontinuous Measurement in ABA: Key Differences At a Glance
Take a look at the fundamental differences at a glance first:
| Feature | Continuous Measurement | Discontinuous Measurement |
| Observation Criteria | Every unit of relevant behavioral occurrence or instance. | Selected samplings, or precise moments during intervals. |
| Methodology | Frequency, rate, duration, latency, IRT. | Partial interval, whole interval, momentary sampling. |
| Strong Points | Helps to gather a complete record and is more consistent. | Can be more practical and efficient in absence of direct observation. |
| Limitations | Requires extra effort such as time, observation resources, etc. | Incomplete and inconsistent data recording with lengthy intervals. |
| Best For | Discreet and countable behavior, low-frequency behavior. | High-frequency behavior, absence of direct and reliable observation. |
| Example Data | ‘The behavior lasted for 5 minutes and 33 seconds.’ | ‘The behavior was present in 45% of the sampled data at intervals.’ |
Continuous Measurement in ABA: Methodology
If you go over the RBT Test Content Outline 3rd Edition, you’ll find that behavior measurement is a part of the very first domain. It’s one of the key roles of an RBT as a behavioral caregiver.
According to the Iris Center, data collection isn’t simply measurement of behavior, rather it acts as measurable evidence to improve student behavior. To measure a behavior, you need to mainly record 1. number of occurrences, and 2. behavior duration/how long it took place for.
Continuous Measurement is one such procedure where you record every instance of target behavior to capture every dimension for a consistent, and complete observation report.
The methodology involves the following processes:
1. Frequency
Used for countable behavior with a certain beginning and an end. For instance – a student raises his hand five times within the span of 10 minutes.
2. Rate
Puts frequency into perspective by adjusting the observation time. For instance – if a student raises his hand five times within 10 minutes, the rate is 0.2 per minute, or 30 per hour.
3. Duration
Duration measures the total amount of time that the target behavior lasts for. It’s used for slightly extended behaviors such as crying, throwing tantrums, etc.
4. Latency
Latency measures the time between the antecedent and the target/reaction behavior. For instance – a teacher takes away the iPad privileges and the student starts to cry after 23 seconds. Here, the iPad incident is the antecedent and the latency period is 23 seconds.
5. IRT (Interresponse Time)
IRT is used to determine the time intervals between two successive target behaviors. It starts right after a target behavior ends and ends right when it starts again. It’s helpful to analyze the rapidity of a certain behavior and RBTs often use it to record the improvement of fluency.
Discontinuous Measurement in ABA: Methodology
According to Leblanc and Lund et al, discontinuous measurement is the process of dividing an observation period into several intervals. If the target behavior takes place in some or all of the intervals, then the partial or whole interval method is employed. On the other hand, MTS or momentary time sampling method is useful for instantaneous sampling of behavior.
Here’s a brief overview of the primary methodology:
1. Partial Interval Recording
If a 10-minute observation period is divided into twenty different 30-second intervals, and the student raises his hand at least once in 7 of these twenty intervals, then we can deduct that – ‘the target behavior occurred in 35% of the intervals.’
2. Whole Interval Recording
In whole interval recording, the behavior must persist for the entirety of the interval. For instance, in a 30-second interval, the student throws a tantrum for only 20 seconds. In that case, the instance of behavior is not recorded as the behavior is not present throughout the entire interval. Whole interval recording, as such, tends to underestimate the behavior.
3. MTS (Momentary Time Sampling)
While observing, the teacher or the RBT selects some instantaneous moments to observe the target behavior instead of at intervals. If the behavior is present during those sampling moments, it’s counted and deducted similarly as partial interval recording.
How To Choose the Best Measurement System for Behavioral Therapy?
As a behavioral specialist, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the target behavior countable or uncountable? Extended or instantaneous?
- Identify your observation limits. Can you afford to put in the continuous effort?
- Identify the best approach. Is frequency and rate more convincing than partial or whole interval recording? Is it more doable?
- In case of discontinuous measurement, can you avoid more errors with momentary time sampling or encounter more inconsistency instead?
Continuous measurement is more accurate but takes up a lot of energy and attention. Hence, discontinuous measurement is more helpful to generate a behavioral estimate. However, it can be inconsistent as RBTs can miss out on relevant data at moments.
Final Thoughts
The phrase ‘Continuous vs Discontinuous Measurement’ is a bit misleading. They are not opposing procedures, rather they amplify the outcomes for better behavioral data recording.
It all depends on the intensity i.e. frequency of negative/problematic behavior and most importantly, how frequently and closely you can observe the behavioral instances.
Remember that data records aren’t simply numbers and graphs on a chart. Every RBT must acquire strong observation skills and in turn, implement the correct data collection and measurement procedures to help their patients lead an improved life with better behavior.
So, if you’re unable to oversee the behavior instances directly and frequently, it’s better to opt for the discontinuous measurement approach. Alternatively, if you can measure the behavior reliably by observing the patient directly, it’s better to use Continuous Measurement instead.
Zarin Tasnim
Zarin Tasnim is currently a content author at Autivic, where she drowns herself in crafting research-informed and pragmatic educational resources to support aspiring Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) in mastering ABA principles, core RBT concepts, and their real-world applications.
- Zarin Tasnim
- Zarin Tasnim
- Zarin Tasnim
- Zarin Tasnim
