Behavioral data collection
In this case study, Tyler engages in vocal stereotypy in school. In behavioral data collection, the stereotyping can be described as off-task behavior because it affects his ability to complete school tasks on time. It is indicated that the behavior forces the student to complete his classwork for homework in the evening. Even at home, the off-task behavior effects Tyler’s ability to complete his homework. Since off-task behavior cannot be measured on its own, it cannot be described as a variable. Duration of off-task behavior and frequency of off-task behavior are two dependent variables that can be used as dependent variables for this case study (“IRIS | Behavior: Duration and Latency Recording”, 2020). The duration of off-task behavior will show how long Tyler engages in scripting instead of focusing on completing his assignment. Frequency of off-task behavior- in this case, vocal stereotypy and scripting, can also be used as a dependent variable because it helps in determining the number of times the off-task behavior is occurring within a specified period (“IRIS | Behavior: Frequency and Interval Recording”, 2020).
Data Collection Method
For this case study, two data collection methods can be used- duration recording and frequency recording. In duration recording, we can collect how long Tyler engages in the off-task behavior of vocal stereotypy and scripting. This off-task behavior is likely to have a distinct beginning and the end, which means duration recording can be perfect for collecting the data (“IRIS | Behavior: Duration and Latency Recording”, 2020). Since it is also mentioned in the case study that the student- Tyler in the case, engages in this behavior often, duration recording is effective because it yields positive results for behaviors that occur at extremely high rates. To collect behavioral data using duration recording, we will start the stopwatch when the vocal stereotypy and scripting start, and then stop the watch when it ends. The length of time the behavior occurred is recorded, and the procedure is repeated for the entire period of the observation (“IRIS | Behavior: Duration and Latency Recording”, 2020).
Alternatively, frequency recording can be used. Here, the focus will be on measuring the number of times Tyler engages in the off-task behaviors operationally defined as vocal stereotypy and scripting in the course of tasks like assignments or writing an examination. In frequency recording, data collection starts by noting the time the observation beings. Each occurrence of off-task behavior is recorded (“IRIS | Behavior: Frequency and Interval Recording”, 2020). The time the observation ends is recorded, and then the length of time for the observation noted. The only limitation with frequency recording is that the observer can miss some occurrences of behavior, and hence be misguided on the frequency of off-task behavior.
Accounting for Reliability and Validity
The validity and reliability of measurement depend on creating appropriate tools for measuring the dependent variable (Mohajan, 2017). Only the appropriate measurement method will be used to test the dependent variable. Also, the measurement technique will be of high quality and targeted to ensure that only the off-task behavior is measured. Reliability is guaranteed by ensuring the data collection process is accurate, stable, and reproducible. Therefore, the method of collecting data will be planned carefully to ensure that the same steps are followed for the same measurement.