ABA Terms Glossary
Facts checked against the sources listed below. Last reviewed . Last updated: . See sources.
What is in this ABA glossary?
Each entry explains one applied behavior analysis concept the way it shows up in session work: a precise definition, how it is recorded in session data, how it appears in the session note, a worked example, common mistakes and the textbook, BACB and research sources behind it. Entries are written for RBTs, BCBAs and students.
These pages follow the terms in the BACB RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), the RBT exam outline from January 1, 2026, and Cooper, Heron and Heward’s Applied Behavior Analysis. They are reference material: the behavior plan written by the supervising BCBA always decides how a procedure runs for a given learner.
ABA concepts
- Prompt HierarchyPrompt types from full physical to independent, most-to-least vs least-to-most, and how to record prompt levels.
- Discontinuous MeasurementPartial interval, whole interval and momentary time sampling, with a worked example of how each scores the same observation.
- Differential ReinforcementDRA, DRI, DRO and DRL compared, with examples, how to record them and a session note example.
- Token EconomyThe six components of a token economy, token boards, thinning and how to record token data in a session note.
ABA documentation tools and guides
Sources
- Cooper JO, Heron TE, Heward WL. Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson (Open Library record)
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board. RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), RBT examination content from 2026
This page is general education for behavior analysts and technicians, not clinical, billing or legal advice. Follow the behavior plan written by the supervising BCBA, your organization’s policies and your payer’s documentation rules. WellNotes does not collect ABA data; it drafts session notes from details you enter, and you review every note.
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