Assessing Pre-service Special Education Teachers’ Skills in Defining and Recording Target Behaviors
JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL EDUCATION, vol.1, no.1, pp.1, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 1 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1007/s10864-026-09626-x
- Journal Name: JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL EDUCATION
- Journal Indexes: Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), IBZ Online, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo
- Page Numbers: pp.1
- Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
It is essential for special education teachers to plan and implement effective behavioral interventions as part of the behavior modification process. A critical component of this planning is accurate behavior measurement, which includes clearly defining target behaviors, selecting appropriate measurement methods, and consistently recording behavioral changes. In accordance with this, pre-service special education teachers (pre-SETs) must develop proficiency in these areas. This study aimed to assess pre-SETs’ proficiency in defining the target behavior and choosing the appropriate recording technique for the behavior. A video-based survey was administered to 106 pre-SETs in Türkiye. Participants were asked to provide operational definitions of target behaviors and identify the correct recording method across seven commonly used measurement techniques. The findings revealed that pre-SETs showed limited accuracy in writing operational definitions of target behaviors and in selecting appropriate behavior recording techniques. These findings suggest that pre-SETs in Türkiye may not acquire adequate measurement skills through theoretical instruction alone. Practice-based and explicit instructional methods are needed to build competency in defining and recording target behaviors.