QABA QASP-S key terms

Any action a person performs that can be observed, described, and measured by others. Behavior is the primary focus of assessment and intervention in applied behavior analysis.

The arrangement of an antecedent event, the behavior that follows it, and the consequence that follows the behavior. It explains why a behavior occurs and what keeps it going.

A consequence delivered after a behavior that increases the likelihood the behavior will happen again in similar situations. It can involve adding a preferred stimulus or removing an unpleasant one.

The extent to which the goals, procedures, and outcomes of an intervention are acceptable, meaningful, and important to the client, caregivers, and other stakeholders.

Agreement to take part in assessment or treatment given by a person who understands the purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, and alternatives, and who agrees voluntarily without pressure.

The ethical duty to protect client information from unauthorized disclosure, sharing it only with people who have a legitimate need and a legal right to know.

A situation in which a behavior analyst holds another personal, financial, or professional relationship with a client or supervisee that could cloud judgment or harm the client.

The boundaries of a practitioner's education, training, and supervised experience. Services should be delivered only within these limits, with referral or extra training when a case falls outside them.

The legal duty of certain professionals to report suspected child abuse, neglect, or other serious harm to designated authorities, even when the information would normally stay confidential.

A written description of a behavior that is observable and measurable, and precise enough that different observers agree on when the behavior occurs and when it does not.

The phase of data collection before intervention begins, used to describe the current level of the behavior and to provide a comparison for later changes.

A count of how many times a behavior occurs during a set observation period. It works best when the behavior has a clear beginning and end.

The amount of time a behavior lasts, measured from its start to its end. It is used when the length of the behavior matters more than how often it happens.

A time-sampling method in which the observer records whether a behavior occurred at any point during a short interval. It tends to overestimate brief or sporadic behavior.

A time-sampling method in which the observer records whether the behavior is occurring at the exact moment each interval ends, rather than at any time during the interval.

A process of gathering information to identify the antecedents and consequences that maintain a problem behavior, using indirect methods, direct observation, and sometimes an experimental analysis.

A structured procedure used to identify stimuli or activities a client is likely to work for, often by observing choices among items or by asking caregivers and the client.

The degree to which two or more independent observers record the same behavior in the same way, usually reported as a percentage of agreement between their records.

The extent to which an intervention is carried out as written and intended, including correct use of the procedures, materials, and schedule across sessions and staff members.

Breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable steps that are ordered in the sequence needed for the learner to complete the whole skill.

Teaching a task analysis one step at a time and linking the steps together until the learner completes the whole sequence. Forward and backward versions differ in where teaching starts.

An added cue, instruction, model, or physical guidance given with or just before a learning opportunity to help the learner perform the target response correctly.

Gradually reducing the amount or intensity of prompts across teaching trials so the learner responds to the natural cue instead of depending on adult assistance.

Teaching a learner to respond differently to one stimulus than to another, for example responding when their own name is called but not when a different name is called.

The occurrence of a learned skill in settings, with people, or with materials different from those used during teaching, or in response to similar but untrained instructions.

The continuation of a learned skill after teaching has ended, often checked through follow-up probes conducted weeks or months after the final training session.

A structured teaching method in which the instructor gives a brief instruction, the learner responds, and the instructor delivers a consequence before a short pause and the next trial.

Teaching during everyday routines and play, using items and activities the learner is motivated for so that learning opportunities fit naturally into ongoing activities.

Teaching a learner a clear, acceptable way to ask for something they want or need, such as a sign or picture, so that problem behavior is no longer needed to get it.

Reinforcing a specific appropriate behavior while withholding reinforcement for the problem behavior, so the appropriate response becomes more likely over time.

Discontinuing the reinforcement that previously maintained a behavior. This typically produces a temporary increase in the behavior before the behavior gradually decreases.

A training package that teaches staff or caregivers through instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback until they perform the target skill correctly and without assistance.

Specific information given to a trainee about how well they performed a skill, usually pairing praise for correct steps with a clear description of what to change next time.

Training that requires trainees to demonstrate a skill to a defined standard before moving on, rather than only attending a session or passing a written test.

A written agreement between supervisor and supervisee describing goals, roles, meeting schedule, evaluation methods, and expectations for the supervisory relationship.

A model in which an expert trains a small group of staff, who then train others, allowing skills to spread through an organization efficiently.

A group of professionals from different fields, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and education, who share information and coordinate goals for a client.

Practice that treats caregivers as partners, respects their priorities and culture, and builds intervention goals around the family's values and daily routines.

Teaching parents or other caregivers to deliver interventions and collect data, using the same instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback methods used with staff.

Sharing relevant information and aligning goals, schedules, and strategies with other providers so that services support one another instead of working at cross purposes.