Not quite. Frequency and rate are closely related in ABA, but they’re not exactly the same. Frequency refers to the number of times a behavior occurs, while rate refers to how often a behavior occurs over a specific period of time.
If you’re studying for the RBT exam or working as a behavior technician, this is one of those little details that can trip you up if you’re not clear on it.
Let’s break it down with real-world examples, simple definitions, and practical tips for using both in sessions.
What Is Frequency in ABA?
In ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), frequency refers to the number of times a specific behavior occurs.
Think of it as just counting how often something happens.
Examples of frequency:
- A child raises their hand 8 times during math class.
- A client taps their pencil 12 times during a session.
- A learner says “I want juice” 3 times in one hour.
Frequency tells us how many instances of a behavior occurred. It’s a raw number — no time component added.
What Is Rate in ABA?
Rate is the number of times a behavior occurs per unit of time. It’s basically frequency divided by time.
Rate = Frequency ÷ Time
Examples of rate:
- A child raises their hand 8 times in 30 minutes, or 0.27 responses per minute.
- A client has 5 tantrums over 2 hours, which is 2.5 tantrums per hour.
- A student writes 12 answers in 6 minutes, which is 2 answers per minute.
Rate is helpful when you want to compare behavior across different time periods or sessions. It gives you a fair picture, even if the total session lengths are different.
Key Difference: Time Matters
The main difference between frequency and rate is time.
- Frequency tells you how many.
- Rate tells you how often per minute, hour, or day.
If you only report frequency, your data could be misleading, especially if your sessions are different lengths. That’s why BCBAs often prefer rate for more accurate comparisons.
Why RBTs Need to Know the Difference
As an RBT, you’re collecting data every day. You might be asked to:
- Track how often a learner hits
- Record how many times they initiate conversation
- Note how many questions they answer correctly
You might naturally think in terms of frequency, but if your sessions aren’t always the same length, rate becomes much more useful.
For example:
- On Monday, your learner screams 6 times in a 3-hour session.
- On Tuesday, they scream 4 times in a 1-hour session.
At first glance, Tuesday seems better — fewer screams, right?
But let’s calculate the rate:
- Monday: 6 ÷ 3 = 2 screams/hour
- Tuesday: 4 ÷ 1 = 4 screams/hour
So even though the frequency was lower on Tuesday, the behavior happened twice as often.
That’s why understanding rate is so important.
When Should You Use Frequency?
Frequency works great when:
- Session times are consistent (e.g., always 1 hour)
- You’re tracking discrete behaviors (behaviors with a clear beginning and end)
- You’re looking at raw totals rather than comparisons
Examples of behaviors often tracked by frequency:
- Number of times a child greets peers
- Number of times a learner engages in self-injury
- Number of times a student answers a question
Just make sure to clarify the observation time if you’re reporting frequency — otherwise, the data might not mean much on its own.
When Should You Use Rate?
Use rate when:
- Session lengths vary
- You need to compare across days or therapists
- You’re measuring progress over time
- The behavior can occur at different rates depending on conditions
Examples of behaviors often measured by rate:
- Aggressions per hour
- Task initiations per minute
- Verbal mands per 15-minute interval
Rate helps remove time-based variability, so it paints a more accurate picture of how behavior is changing.
Real-Life Examples to Understand the Difference
Let’s look at two learners, in two different ABA sessions.
Scenario 1: Tracking Frequency
Liam is learning to say “hi” to peers. You’re working with him for exactly 1 hour every day.
- Monday: Says “hi” 3 times
- Tuesday: Says “hi” 4 times
- Wednesday: Says “hi” 2 times
Since session lengths are consistent, frequency is fine here. It’s easy to track and simple to share with the supervising BCBA.
Scenario 2: Tracking Rate
Emma is working on reducing hand flapping. Your sessions vary in length.
- Monday: 10 flaps in 2 hours = 5/hour
- Tuesday: 12 flaps in 1 hour = 12/hour
- Wednesday: 15 flaps in 3 hours = 5/hour
At first glance, Tuesday doesn’t look too bad — only 12 flaps. But when you factor in time, you see the rate doubled on Tuesday compared to other days. That gives your team better insight into what’s really going on.
RBT Exam Tip: Frequency vs. Rate
On the RBT exam, you might see a question like this:
An RBT works with a client for 2 hours. During that time, the client engages in hand biting 6 times. What is the rate of hand biting?
A) 6
B) 2
C) 3
D) 12
Correct answer: C) 3 (6 ÷ 2 hours = 3 per hour)
They’re testing to see if you understand that rate includes time, frequency does not.
Can You Convert Frequency to Rate?
Yes! If you have frequency and the time period, you can always calculate rate.
Example:
If you recorded 20 behaviors in a 60-minute session:
- Frequency = 20
- Time = 60 minutes
- Rate = 20 ÷ 60 = 0.33 per minute
This is super helpful when summarizing data at the end of the week or reporting to supervisors or parents.
So, Are Frequency and Rate the Same?
Here’s the final takeaway:
👉 Frequency is the count.
👉 Rate is the count per unit of time.
They’re related, but not interchangeable. Think of frequency as the raw score, and rate as the score adjusted for time.
As an RBT, knowing the difference helps you collect more accurate data, communicate clearly with your team, and make better decisions for your clients.
Quick Recap
| Term | Definition | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Total number of times a behavior happens | Same-length sessions, simple counts |
| Rate | Frequency divided by time (per hour, etc.) | Variable-length sessions, comparisons |
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between frequency and rate might seem like a small detail, but in ABA, small details matter. They shape how we track progress, understand patterns, and make data-based decisions.
The good news? Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.
So next time you’re filling out a data sheet, ask yourself: “Am I just counting, or am I also considering time?”
That simple question will keep your data clean, accurate, and useful, and that’s the heart of good behavior analysis.