Chapter 14 Single-Case Experimental Research Designs

Flashcards about single case research designs

Single-subject designs

study one individual with repeated measures

Group designs

compare averages across multiple participants

Advantages of single-subject designs over group designs

No distortion from group averages, each subject is their own control, emphasizes large and clinically meaningful effects, and works well even with few participants.

Single-Case Experimental Research Designs

Research designs focusing on individual subjects, often involving extensive observation and replication to determine cause-effect relationships.

Clinical Significance

The practical importance of an experiment effect, indicating whether the effect is large enough to be meaningful in a real-world context.

Statistical significance

A determination of whether the results of an experiment are likely to be due to chance or represent a true effect. Statistical significance is typically denoted by a p-value, where a p-value less than 0.05 is often considered indicative of a significant result.

Ethical and practical advantages of single-subject designs

More ethical when testing necessary treatments, useful with rare populations, allows flexible and individualized treatment changes.

Power

The probability that a statistical test will find a significant difference when a difference actually exists in the population.

Characteristics of baseline measurements 1

Baseline is taken before treatment as a control

Characteristics of baseline measurements 2

It should be stable, show no extreme trends

Characteristics of baseline measurements 3

help predict future behavior without intervention

Baseline Measures

Measurements of the behavior of interest before treatment to establish a reference point for evaluating the treatment's effect, serving as a control strategy.

Descriptive Baseline

Measures and describes the current level of behavior, needing to be stable.

Predictive Baseline

Predicts what behavior would be in the future if no treatment were given, ideally showing no trend.

Trends in Behavior

Systematic variability with a distinctive direction (ascending or descending) in the dependent variable.

AB Design

A basic single-subject design with a baseline phase , followed by an intervention phase .

ABA Design

A modified AB design with a baseline , treatment , and removal of treatment phase to assess intervention effectiveness.

ABAB Design

Also called a Repeated Treatments Design. Includes a Baseline , Treatment , Removal of Treatment , Treatment Repeated.

Alternating Treatments Design

Compares multiple treatments by implementing them in random order to assess effectiveness.

Multiple Baseline Design

A design that introduces different experimental manipulations to see if corresponding changes occur with the onset of treatment across behaviors, individuals, or settings.

Changing Criterion Design

A design assessing treatment effectiveness by incrementally changing behavioral goals.

key advantage of the multiple baseline design?

Can establish functional relationship between treatments without completely withdrawing treatment