To track behavior observations, tap the Behaviors button at the top of the mTrial Setup screen (Figures 14.1) or at the top of the mTrial Recorder screen (Figure 14.2).

Figure 14.1 – mTrial Setup Screen With Behaviors Button Selected		Figure 14.2 – mTrial Setup Screen With Behaviors Button Selected

At the Behaviors screen (Figure 14.3) there is the list of behaviors that are defined and updated on the PC, and copied to the Palm during a HotSync operation.

Figure 14.3 – Behaviors Screen

There are two types of behaviors, ones that last momentarily, and ones that last for more than a few moments.

If a behavior lasts for just a moment, tap the behavior in the list and then tap the “+” button (Figure 14.4) to increment the number of times the selected behavior has occurred in the current visit (Figure 14.5). Although it isn’t displayed, the time and date that the behavior is observed is recorded in a database.

Figure 14.4 – Behaviors Screen With Item and “+” Selected		Figure 14.5 – Behaviors Screen With Item Count Increased

If a behavior lasts for more than a few moments, tap the behavior in the list and then tap the “Timer” button (Figure 14.6) to start a timer for the behavior. Figure 14.7 shows a wristwatch icon next to the behavior in the list. The presence of the wristwatch icon indicates that the behavior is currently being timed.

Figure 14.6 – Behaviors Screen With Item and “+” Selected		Figure 14.7 – Behaviors Screen With Item Count Increased

To stop a timed behavior observation, tap any behavior with a wristwatch icon next to it and tap the Timer button again (Figure 14.8). This will stop the timer and increase the number of times that the behavior has been observed.

Figure 14.8 – Behaviors Screen

Although it isn’t displayed, the time and date that the timed behavior observation started and stopped is stored in a database.

While timed behaviors are being observed, you can continue to record discrete trial data. You can also start and stop timing more than one behavior (Figure 14.9)

Figure 14.9 – Behaviors Screen

If any behaviors are being timed, and you move from the Behaviors screen to either the mTrial Setup screen or the mTrial Recorder screen, there is another wristwatch icon in the title bar as a gentle reminder that there is a timed behavior in progress (Figure 14.10 and Figure 14.11).

Figure 14.10 – mTrial Setup Screen With Behaviors Button Selected		Figure 14.11 – mTrial Recorder Screen With Behaviors Button Selected

When you end a visit, the behavior observation data is saved to the database and the Behaviors screen is reset.