Using real-time recording to enhance the analysis of within-session functional analysis data

Functional analysis methods have become standard practice for determining the maintaining variables of problem behavior. The analysis of within-session response patterns has been proposed as a useful adjunct to the functional analysis. Many within-session analyses have been conducted on data obtained from interval scoring methods. However, interval methods only provide an estimate of within-session data. The authors briefly describe a real-time recording method and provide a rationale for its use. The authors then provide descriptions of several research studies from their lab in which real-time data were crucial in determining behavioral function from experimental analyses.