Deck 13: Single-Case Evaluation Designs

Question 1

Suppose you instruct a couple to have a typical conversation while you observe them in your office. This would be an example of​

A) ​unobtrusive observation.
B) research reactivity.​
C) obtrusive observation.​
D) interval recording.​

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Target problems can be quantified in terms of their​

A) ​frequency, only.
B) duration, only.​
C) magnitude, only.​
D) frequency, duration, and/or magnitude​

Answer 2

D

Question 3

B and B+ designs have value in the evidence-based practice process despite lacking a baseline phase.​

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The length of the baseline in single-case designs should be​

A) ​as long as is practically and ethically possible.
B) shorter with a low frequency behavior than with a high frequency behavior.​
C) shortened if an unstable trend appears.​
D) as short as possible.​

Question 5

Which of the following approaches would be least obtrusive in regard to measuring the impact of the above group work intervention on school performance?​

A) ​Obtain grade, attendance, and conduct data from school records.
B) Observe the student's in-class behavior yourself.​
C) With the client's permission, obtain videotapes of the child's in-class behavior.​
D) Interview the child.​

Question 6

In single-case experiments, increasing the number of measurement points:​

A) ​makes it more difficult to identify precipitating conditions during assessment.
B) ​makes it harder to change the intervention plan at the point at which no progress is occurring.
C) ​increases our ability to pinpoint unlikely coincidences and therefore infer what is causing changes in the dependent variable.
D) ​lessens internal validity.

Question 7

In single-case experiments, direct observation is always better than using self-report scales or available records.​

Question 8

Although AB designs offer the least control for history, they are often worth doing.​

Question 9

Suppose you wish to measure progress in increasing the amount of time a child in institutional care spends studying as an indicator of the effectiveness of your group work intervention. Which of the following approaches most likely would be least vulnerable to reactivity problems?​

A) ​Have the child record the amount of time and report back to you.
B) Have cottage parents run spot checks in the cottage at different intervals.​
C) Interview the child each day about the time spent studying the previous day.​
D) Show up at the cottage and observe the child yourself for one hour during the same period each day.​

Question 10

If the target problem improves at any point during the intervention phase, it is safe to infer that the intervention is effective.​

Question 11

In a single-case design with a student at high risk for dropping out of school, a good measurement plan to assess whether our intervention is effective would be to monitor whether or not he/she drops out of school.​

Question 12

If a self-report scale has high reliability and validity in group research, we can assume it will have equally high reliability and validity in single-case experiments.​

Question 13

It is never appropriate to conduct single-case experiments with unstable baselines.​

Question 14

The ability to construct a retrospective baseline is one of the advantages of using available records.​

Question 15

The term research reactivity means that​

A) ​at least some client improvement can be attributed to the impact of the research.
B) the research was effective in depicting desired results.​
C) there is a strong social-desirability bias in measurement.​
D) a generalization of effects occurred.​

Question 16

Most social work target problems or goals cannot be defined in operational terms.​

Question 17

Suppose you obtained the following results in a multiple baseline design assessing the impact of family therapy on tantrums, chores, and truancy in treating one child and his parents. Which interpretations is/are plausible?​

A) ​History could NOT have caused the change.
B) The intervention may have had generalizable effects.​
C) History is the only plausible cause of the change.​
D) Maturation caused the change.​

Question 18

​Suppose you obtained the following results in an ABAB design assessing the effectiveness of family therapy in reducing a child's temper tantrums. Which interpretations is/are plausible?

A) ​History could NOT have caused the change.
B) The intervention may have been effective, but with irreversible effects.​
C) History is the only plausible cause of the change.​
D) Maturation caused the change.​

Question 19

Self-monitoring is an example of obtrusive observation.​

Question 20

For most clinical social work situations there are multiple ways to operationally define target problems or objectives for research purposes.​

Question 21

Identify three qualitative methods that can be incorporated in single-case evaluation, and discuss the function of each method.​

Question 22

Discuss why it can be argued that a single-case AB design, if done appropriately, has greater internal validity than a simple pretest/posttest group design with no control group.​

Question 23

Explain what is accomplished by replicating single-case designs. One part of your answer should address internal validity; another part should address external validity.​

Question 24

Which of the following statements is/are true about ambiguities in the visual significance of single-case design outcomes?​

A) ​They can be reduced by unobtrusive measurement.
B) They can be reduced by replication.​
C) They are caused by transforming auto-correlated data.​
D) Nothing can be done to reduce the ambiguities.​

Question 25

A practitioner conducts a single-case evaluation to test whether a recently developed intervention is effective in reducing antisocial behaviors by children in a residential facility. During the 20 days before implementing the new intervention she observes between 15 and 17 antisocial behaviors each day. After implementing the intervention she observes between 15 and 17 antisocial behaviors each day for 19 days, but then on the twentieth day no antisocial behaviors occur. She should conclude:​

A) ​The intervention clearly was effective.
B) The improvement most likely was due to maturation.​
C) History is a plausible explanation for the improvement.​
D) Regression to the mean is the most plausible explanation for the improvement.​

Question 26

What would you infer from the following graph?

A) ​The intervention appears to be effective.
B) Maturation appears to be the most plausible explanation.​
C) History appears to be the most plausible explanation.​
D) Regression toward the mean appears to be the most plausible explanation.​

Question 27

A practitioner tests whether a new technique will be effective in reducing the number of time-outs required in play therapy sessions for children with conduct disorders. In each of the two sessions before implementing the new technique, five time-outs occurred. In each of the two sessions after implementing the new technique, no time-outs occurred. The practitioner should conclude:​

A) ​The technique was clearly effective.
B) The data source was retrospective available records.​
C) There was an insufficient number of data points in the study to warrant causal inferences.​
D) The data source was self-report.​
E) ​None of the above.

Question 28

Discuss why it is best to have as many measurement points as possible in a single-case design.​

Question 29

Identify the major advantages and disadvantages of each of the following single-case designs:?a. AB design?b. ABAB design?c. multiple baseline design​

Question 30

Explain how B or B+ designs can have value in the evidence-based practice process despite lacking an adequate baseline phase.​

Question 31

Explain why it is important to obtain a stable baseline, if possible. Explain your answer in connection to threats to internal validity.​

Question 32

A social work student seeks to reduce her own general level of anxiety through self-desensitization. She used the last five weeks of the fall semester for her baseline and the first five weeks of the spring semester for her intervention period. Why is this a problem? What alternative do you propose?​

Question 33

Suppose an ABCD design obtains the following results with a chronically mentally ill client discharged to live with his family.​ ​
What is the most appropriate inference for future interventions with similar clients?

A) ​Just provide the family education.
B) Provide all three interventions in the same order.​
C) Replicate the study to assess possible order effects.​
D) History is the only plausible explanation for the change.​