Assessment and Measurement in Applied Behavior Analysis

by Padilla, Kristen L.; Morgan, Grant B.

• ISBN13: 9781462563203
• ISBN10: 1462563201
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781462563227
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2026-06-25
• Publisher: The Guilford Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Bridging the science of measurement and the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA), this is the first comprehensive guide to reliability, validity, and evidence-centered design within a behavior-analytic framework. Students and ABA practitioners will benefit from the text's real-world case studies and clear connections to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's BCBA Task List. Readers learn not only how to select, use, and interpret function- and skill-based behavioral assessments, but also how to critically evaluate their quality and appropriateness using contemporary measurement theory. Facilitating ethical, data-driven decision making across clinical, educational, and research settings, the text includes chapter-opening objectives, end-of-chapter reflection and discussion questions, and a glossary.

Author Biography

Kristen L. Padilla, PhD, NCSP, BCBA, is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Baylor University and Director of the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing. Since she began teaching at Baylor in 2015, Dr. Padilla has taught courses and practica pertaining to assessment in applied behavior analysis (ABA), ABA and school psychology, ethics in ABA, and teaching children with autism and developmental disabilities. She has also provided trainings on foundational concepts in measurement and their applications to assessments used in ABA. Dr. Padilla's research interests include the use of skill acquisition instruments by ABA practitioners and the validity and reliability of these instruments. 

Grant B. Morgan, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Baylor University, where he coordinates the quantitative methods doctoral specialization. He also serves as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development in the School of Education. Dr. Morgan is formally trained as a psychometrician and quantitative methodologist, and has extensive experience designing and conducting measurement-related research. Since joining the Baylor faculty in 2012, he has taught courses in measurement, assessment, psychometric theory, research methods, and statistics. Dr. Morgan has served as a grant panelist for multiple federal agencies and has published numerous articles and book chapters on applied and technical aspects of measurement. 

Table of Contents

1. Assessment in Applied Behavior Analysis
2. Assessment Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation
3. Reliability
4. Validity
5. Function-Based Behavioral Assessment
6. Skill-Based Behavioral Assessment
7. Conducting and Evaluating Reliability Studies on Standardized Assessments in ABA
8. Conducting and Evaluating Validity Studies on Standardized Assessments in ABA
9. Ethical Guidelines in Assessment Practices
10. Toward Best Practices in Behavior Assessment
Glossary of Key Terms
References
Index
About the Authors