Exam 14: Single-Case Experimental Research Designs

A multiple-baseline across behaviors design consists of ____ baseline phase(s) and ____ treatment phase(s) for each behavior.

When the observations in the initial baseline phase show a trend in the direction of improved behavior, the researcher should ____.

In single-case research, unstable data ____.

Single-case designs provide data that can be evaluated with traditional tests of significance.

In a multiple-baseline design, there is only one phase change, from baseline to treatment.

In a single-case design when no treatment is being administered, the observations are called ____ observations.

Behavior that shows a consistent increase from one observation to the next during a baseline phase is an example of unstable behavior.

If a clinician wanted to determine whether a specific treatment causes a change in a client's behavior, a single-case design could be used.

A healthy-eating program requires participants to eat a large amount of fruits and vegetables. In the first phase, the researcher observes the participants while they eat their normal diet. In the next phase, the researcher adds fruits, then adds vegetables in the following phase. After making the appropriate levels of observations, the researcher returns the participants to the baseline phase and then repeats the process of adding first fruits and then adding vegetables as well. Which research design is this researcher using?

In single-case studies, researchers often rely on clinical significance rather than statistical significance.

In a graph of the results from an ABAB reversal design, which feature justifies a conclusion that the treatment causes changes in behavior?

Describe the purpose of a phase within a single-case experiment and the ways to define a pattern within a phase.

A teacher has created a program for improving homework submission. Most children who complete the two-week program permanently improve their frequency of homework submission. Suppose the teacher decided to evaluate the program with a single-case design. Which design would be most appropriate?

Explain how practical or clinical significance differs from statistical significance and why single-case studies typically rely on the former rather than the latter.

Dr. Mendezis trying to reduce Tamar's "talk out" behaviors, first at school and then at home. Which research design is she most likely to use?

An ABAB design is preferred to a multiple-baseline design if the treatment is expected to have a permanent or long lasting effect.

A multiple-baseline design requires two groups of participants.

Single-cases research studies tend to have ____.

Single-case research (compared to group designs) cannot demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship with only one participant.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using visual inspection of graphs rather than statistics to evaluate the significance of the results.