Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Training Competency Terms

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering measurement procedures, assessment, reinforcement schedules, teaching methodologies, prompting, behavior functions, differential reinforcement, and operant conditioning for Applied Behavior Analysis training.

Frequency

A continuous measurement procedure that tracks the count of how many times a behavior occurs (e.g., client tantrumed 7 times during session).

Rate

The frequency of a behavior divided by the total duration of observational or session time (e.g., 20 responses occurring in 5 minutes equals a rate of 4 responses per minute).

Duration

A continuous measurement procedure that records how long a behavior occurs, typically measured using a stopwatch or timer.

Latency

The amount of time elapsed between the presentation of a discriminative stimulus (SD) and when the client initiates or starts the response.

Partial Interval Recording

A discontinuous measurement procedure that records whether the target behavior occurred at any point during the observation interval.

Whole Interval Recording

A discontinuous measurement procedure that records whether the target behavior occurred continuously throughout the entire duration of the interval.

Momentary Time Sampling

A discontinuous measurement procedure that records whether the target behavior is occurring specifically at the exact moment the interval ends.

Percent Correct

A discontinuous measurement formed by calculating the ratio of the number of times a behavior occurred divided by the total number of opportunities available (e.g., 2 correct out of 10 trials = $20\%$).

Permanent Product Measurement

A measurement method that evaluates tangible or concrete outcomes resulting from a behavior (such as completed worksheets, art projects, or card piles) without requiring direct observation of the behavior itself.

Preference Assessment

Procedures used to determine which items, activities, or foods are most preferred by a client in order to increase motivation during learning tasks and instructions.

Functional Assessment

An assessment method used to identify the underlying function or reason for a behavior by collecting Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) data.

Three-Term Contingency

The ABC unit of analysis (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence) that helps identify the function and maintaining variables of an observed behavior.

Unconditioned Reinforcement

Untaught, naturally occurring reinforcers that do not require prior learning to be effective, such as food, praise, and sleep.

Conditioned Reinforcement

Learned reinforcers that gain their reinforcing value through pairing with established reinforcers, such as bubbles, toys, and balloons.

Continuous Schedule of Reinforcement

A schedule of reinforcement in which a reinforcer is delivered immediately following every single occurrence of the correct response.

Fixed-Ratio (FR) Schedule

An intermittent schedule of reinforcement requiring the completion of a constant, predetermined number of correct responses to deliver a reinforcer.

Fixed-Interval (FI) Schedule

An intermittent schedule of reinforcement that provides reinforcement for the first correct response emitted after a fixed, constant period of elapsed time.

Variable-Ratio (VR) Schedule

An intermittent schedule of reinforcement where reinforcement is delivered after an unpredictable, changing number of responses that averages out to a specific number.

Variable-Interval (VI) Schedule

An intermittent schedule of reinforcement providing reinforcement for the first correct response after varying amounts of time have elapsed, averaging to a specific duration.

Discrete-Trial Teaching (DTT)

A structured, contrived teaching methodology (often called table work) that breaks complex skills down into small, isolated trials and reinforces correct responses.

Natural Environment Teaching (NET)

An incidental teaching method that occurs within practical, natural settings and routines to teach skills that require less explicit generalization.

Chaining

A method used to teach a complex or multi-step skill by breaking it into sequential components that are linked together until the entire task can be completed independently.

Backward Chaining

A chaining procedure where the technician prompts all beginning steps of a sequence, requiring the learner to perform only the final step independently to earn reinforcement, gradually teaching steps in reverse order.

Forward Chaining

A chaining procedure where the learner independently completes the first step of a sequence before the technician prompts all remaining steps, utilizing behavioral momentum.

Total Task Chaining

A chaining procedure where the learner is taught the entire sequence from start to finish during each session, receiving prompts only as needed on individual steps.

Discrimination Training

A process of teaching a learner to emit a target response in the presence of a specific discriminative stimulus (SD) while withholding reinforcement in the presence of other stimuli.

Stimulus Control Transfer

The process of systematically fading prompts so that a behavior previously evoked by a prompt becomes reliably evoked by the target discriminative stimulus (SD) alone.

Stimulus Fading

The gradual removal or alteration of exaggerated dimensions of prompts or discriminative stimuli (such as moving from thick traced lines to dotted lines to independent writing) to foster independence.

Prompt Hierarchy

A systematic ordering of prompts categorized from least invasive to most invasive: Visual, Verbal, Gestural, Modeling, Partial Physical, and Full Physical.

Prompt Fading

The gradual reduction in the assistance level provided to elicit a target behavior, preventing prompt dependence and promoting independent responding.

Antecedent Interventions

Proactive strategies that modify the physical or social environment before a behavior occurs (such as adjusting deprivation/satiation, using visual schedules, or offering choices) to reduce problem behavior.

Deprivation

An establishing operation that withholds access to a desired stimulus, thereby increasing its value and effectiveness as a reinforcer.

Satiation

An abolishing operation resulting from repeated or excessive exposure to a stimulus, reducing its value and effectiveness as a reinforcer.

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behaviors (DRO)

A procedure in which reinforcement is provided for the absence of the target problem behavior during a specified time frame (reinforcing any other behavior).

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

A procedure that reinforces a socially appropriate alternative behavior serving the exact same function as the target behavior while extinguishing the problem behavior.

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)

A procedure that reinforces a topographically incompatible behavior that cannot physically occur at the same time as the target problem behavior.

S.E.A.T. (Four Functions of Behavior)

The four universal functions that motivate and maintain human behavior: Sensory (automatic feedback), Escape (avoiding demands/tasks), Attention (social interaction), and Tangibles (access to preferred items/activities).

Extinction

An intervention that withholds the reinforcing consequence that previously maintained a behavior, making the behavior ineffective so it decreases and eventually ceases.

Operant Conditioning

A learning framework that modifies the future frequency of behavior using reinforcement (to increase/maintain behavior) and punishment (to decrease behavior) by either adding (positive) or removing (negative) stimuli.

Positive Reinforcement

The presentation or addition of a pleasant stimulus immediately following a response, resulting in an increase in the future likelihood of that behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

The removal or termination of an aversive stimulus immediately following a response, resulting in an increase in the future likelihood of that behavior.

Positive Punishment

The presentation or addition of an aversive stimulus immediately following a behavior, resulting in a decrease in the future likelihood of that behavior.

Negative Punishment

The removal or withdrawal of a reinforcing or pleasant stimulus immediately following a behavior, resulting in a decrease in the future likelihood of that behavior.

Errorless Teaching

An instructional procedure that immediately prompts the learner to emit the correct response before an error can occur, gradually fading prompts to ensure maximum reinforcement contact and minimal frustration.

Error Correction Procedure

A structured correction cycle following an incorrect response consisting of: presenting SD -> prompting correct response -> client responding -> running a distractor trial -> re-presenting original SD -> client responding independently -> delivering reinforcement.