What does "latency" refer to in ABA measurements?

Latency in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specifically refers to the time interval between an antecedent event (such as a prompt or instruction) and the onset of a behavior. This measurement is crucial in assessing how quickly an individual responds to a particular stimulus or cue. Monitoring latency helps practitioners evaluate responsiveness and make informed decisions about interventions to improve behavioral outcomes.

In this context, understanding latency can provide insight into an individual's processing time or willingness to respond, which can be beneficial for tailoring interventions to enhance responsiveness. The other options represent different measurement concepts: frequency counts occurrences, duration measures how long a behavior lasts, and speed could relate to the quickness or reaction time but does not capture the essence of latency accurately. Hence, the definition of latency centers specifically around the time following an antecedent before a behavior is initiated.