Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ABC Observation Form

This method involves recording the environmental variables related to undesired behavior(s). When the behavior of interest occurs, the observer records the target behavior, the antecedent (event that immediately preceded the behavior), and the consequence (event that immediately followed the behavior). Use this method or combine it with other methods below when the objective is to identify the possible function of the undesired behavior.

Duration Observation Form

This method documents the length of a behavior by recording the time the behavior begins and ends. Use this method if your primary concern is the length of time the student engages in the behavior and the behavior has a clear beginning and end. Do not use this method if the behavior occurs with high frequency or the behavior starts and stops rapidly. 

Frequency/Rate Observation Form

These methods involve counting the number of times a behavior occurs in a specific time period. Use these methods if the behavior can be easily counted and the behavior has a clear beginning and end. Do not use these methods if the behavior is occurring at such a high rate that an accurate count is impossible (e.g., pencil tapping) or the behavior occurs for extended periods of time (e.g., 2 tantrums, but the duration of each tantrum is one hour). 

Latency Observation Form

Use latency recording when you’re interested in how long a student takes to begin performing a particular behavior once the opportunity has been presented. For example, if a teacher makes a request for a student to put an activity away, the observer would be interested in the length of time it takes for the student to comply with the request. Use this method if the opportunity and the behavior have a clear beginning and end. Do not use this method if the opportunities are continuous or if they start and stop rapidly. 

Momentary Time Sampling Observation Form

The observer records whether a behavior did or did not occur at the end of the interval. Momentary Time Sampling is an ideal observation method for a variety of behaviors where it is difficult to tell exactly when the behavior begins or when it ends, and behaviors that occur at such a high rate that it is difficult to keep a count. It is commonly used to track on-task vs. off-task behavior.

Partial Interval Observation Form

The observer divides the observation period into a number of smaller intervals, observes the student constantly, and then records whether the behavior occurred at any point during the interval. This method is useful for understanding how behaviors are distributed across an observation. Use this method if the behavior occurs at a high frequency or if the behavior occurs continuously. Do not use this method if the behavior is a low frequency behavior.