Event Sampling

EXAMPLES
If  Shanaya’s physical aggression towards peers is the observation’s target behavior, then event sampling could record the frequency and/or use an ABC analysis.  It might look like this:

TIME SAMPLING EXAMPLE #1

Observer’s Name: Darcie Child’s Name: Shanaya Age: 3 Location: the playground Date/time:  8/10/08, 3:30-4:00 Observation Focus:The frequency of aggressive acts
PLACE/EVENT	TIME	COMMENTS
-Small climbing structure- Shanaya tries to climb up ladder that Misha is climbing down and tries (unsuccessfully) to push him off	3:37	She didn’t speak to him- just pushed
-Boat- Shanaya wants to sit in the boat and tries to push the 3 children already seated but they yell and push back. and so on… until 4:00 and time sample period is over.	3:45	Again no attempt at using words
SUMMARY:  “Over a 45 minute period, Shanaya pushed 6 children and hit 1 to total 7 acts.  When combined with other daily samples, Shanaya is physically aggressive an average of 18 times/day or 1-4 incidences/hour.”

EXAMPLE:
The above tool found how often Shanaya is pushing others.  But to understand why it might be happening, the form could be expanded, or second event sampling could use an ABC form for capturing details. 

EVENT SAMPLING EXAMPLE #2

Observer’s Name: Darcie Child’s Name: Shanaya Age: 3 Location: the Butterfly room Date/time:  8/8/08, 10-11 am Observation Focus: Frequent pushing & other aggression
TIME/PLACE	Antecedent Event	Behavior	Consequent Event
10:10 Art table	Keegan colors on Shanaya’s paper	Shanaya pushes Keegan off his chair	Keegan cries & tells teacher
10:17 Classroom	Shanaya sees that Clara is holding a baby doll that is Shanaya’s favorite	Shanaya pushes Clara backwards and grabs the doll while saying “Mine!”	Clara tries to grab the doll back and Shanaya pushes her again
10:29 Playground
Conclusion:  9 out of the 10 times that Shanaya pushed others it was in reaction to a peer’s behavior.  Usually it was…. And so on.