What is the difference between measuring frequency and rate?

The distinction between frequency and rate is crucial in understanding data collection in behavior analysis. Frequency refers specifically to the raw count of how many times a behavior occurs within a specified observation period. In contrast, rate includes the additional factor of time, capturing how many occurrences of a behavior happen per unit of time (e.g., per minute, per hour).

This means that while frequency might tell you that a child engaged in a particular behavior 10 times during a session, the rate would provide a more meaningful context by indicating that the child exhibited that behavior at a rate of, for example, 5 times per minute.

By measuring both frequency and rate, practitioners can glean insights not only into how often a behavior occurs but also the frequency of that occurrence relative to time, which can provide a deeper understanding of the behavior's intensity and pattern over time.