Deck 14: Single-Case Experimental Research Designs

Question 1

A stable trend within a phase is defined as a set of observations that ____.

A) cluster around a horizontal line when graphed
B) cluster around a vertical line when graphed
C) cluster around a sloping line when graphed
D) all have exactly the same magnitude

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Single-case designs ____

A) can be used with small groups of participants
B) cannot establish unambiguous causality
C) do not allow for manipulation of an independent variable
D) have, historically, mostly arisen to evaluate behavioral hypotheses

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The two phases in a single-case research design are called the _____ and _____ phases

A) experimental; descriptive
B) treatment; replication
C) baseline; treatment
D) manipulation; control

Answer 3

C

Question 4

A stable level within a phase is defined as a set of observations that ____.

A) cluster around a horizontal line when graphed
B) cluster around a line sloping up to the right when graphed
C) cluster around a line sloping down to the right when graphed
D) are distributed equally along both axes

Question 5

Averaging over two or three consecutive observations is one method for dealing with ____.

A) trends in the data
B) phase changes
C) unstable data
D) a treatment that has a relatively small effect

Question 6

A treatment phase is defined as ____.

A) a series of observations made when a treatment is being administered
B) the first observation made after a treatment is administered
C) the amount of change between the final observation before treatment and the first observation after treatment
D) the boundary between pretreatment observations and posttreatment observations

Question 7

Typically, the results from a single-case research study are evaluated using ____.

A) descriptive statistics such as the mean and standard deviation
B) inferential statistics such as a hypothesis test
C) visual inspection of a graph
D) consensus among at least three researchers

Question 8

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

A) no-treatment
B) baseline
C) treatment
D) random

Question 9

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

A) administer the treatment immediately
B) manipulate the environment until the change stops
C) increase the intensity of the treatment
D) refrain from introducing the treatment

Question 10

In single-case research, what is the definition of a phase change?

A) The point at which the subject begins to show a response to the treatment
B) The point at which the treatment begins to lose effectiveness
C) The point at which the treatment is switched from one subject to another
D) A change from baseline to treatment or from treatment to baseline

Question 11

What is one way that single-case studies control outside variables?

A) Making a series of observations over time
B) Waiting to measure behavior until after treatment
C) Using statistical tests to determine significance
D) Using a no-treatment control group for comparison

Question 12

In a graph of single-case research data, a clear indication of a treatment effect is a ____.

A) delay between the time the phase is changed and the time behavior begins to change
B) large, immediate change in pattern
C) continuation of the same average level from one phase to the next
D) gradual change in behavior

Question 13

In single-case research, a group of observations of the same individual under the same conditions is known as a ____.

A) time series
B) phase
C) sequence
D) data set

Question 14

To establish a pattern within a phase and determine the stability of the data within a phase, researchers must make at least _____ observations within that phase.

A) three
B) six
C) ten
D) twelve

Question 15

At what point is a phase change appropriate?

A) After the first observation in the current phase
B) After at least ten observations in the current phase
C) When the participant shows the first response to the treatment
D) When the participant shows a clear and stable pattern of behavior

Question 16

What name is given to a single-case design consisting of the following four phases in the order given: baseline, treatment, baseline, treatment?

A) BABA design
B) ABA design
C) ABAB design
D) BTBT design

Question 17

In a single-case experimental design, if there is low variability from one observation to the next within a phase, the data are ____.

A) stable
B) unstable
C) statistically significant
D) visually significant

Question 18

One way in which single-case research is like most other experimental designs is that ____.

A) means are compared with traditional tests for significance
B) pre- and posttest scores are always compared
C) they provide detailed descriptions of single individuals
D) they are capable of determining cause-and-effect relationships

Question 19

In single-case research, unstable data ____.

A) make differences between treatment phases and baseline phases clear
B) make it possible to define a pattern within a phase
C) make it impossible to determine whether a change in phases produces a change in pattern
D) make it easier to prove a causal relationship

Question 20

The goal of single-case research is to ____.

A) provide a detailed description of a single individual
B) describe variables as the exist naturally
C) describe the relationship between variables
D) determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables

Question 21

The reversal component in an ABAB design ____.

A) assists in establishing a causal relationship
B) introduces a modified version of the treatment
C) introduces a completely different treatment
D) administers the treatment immediately after the initial baseline phase

Question 22

Single-cases research studies tend to have ____.

A) practical significance even though they do not have statistical significance
B) statistical significance even though they do not have practical significance
C) both practical and statistical significance
D) neither practical nor statistical significance

Question 23

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?

A) ABAB design
B) Multiple-baseline design
C) Alternating-treatments design
D) Changing-criterion design

Question 24

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

A) one; one
B) one; two
C) two; one
D) two; two

Question 25

The second AB in the sequence of an ABAB design provides evidence of ____.

A) external validity
B) internal validity
C) reactivity
D) experimenter bias

Question 26

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?

A) ABAB design
B) Multiple-baseline across subjects design
C) Multiple-baseline across situations design
D) Component-analysis design

Question 27

Ms. Glad, a third-grade teacher, is trying to reduce Joseph's and Jacob's "out of seat behavior." Which research design is she most likely to use?

A) ABAB
B) Multiple-baseline across behaviors
C) Multiple-baseline across subjects
D) Multiple-baseline across situations

Question 28

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

A) The size of the change in behavior when the treatment is first introduced
B) The time delay between the introduction of the treatment and the first change in magnitude of change
C) A permanent change in behavior that continues even after the treatment is withdrawn
D) A demonstration that behavior changes consistently when the treatment is introduced, withdrawn, and introduced again

Question 29

The different baselines in a multiple-baseline design can be defined by two or more ____.

A) different treatments
B) different behaviors
C) different observers
D) assessment instruments

Question 30

In comparison to group designs, single-case research ____.

A) tends to be inflexible
B) is not well-suited for clinical research
C) allows for a detailed description of the participant's characteristics
D) requires more complex statistical analysis

Question 31

The component-analysis study can be done with ________.

A) an ABAB design only
B) a multiple-baseline design only
C) a reversal design only
D) either a reversal design or a multiple-baseline design

Question 32

The ABAB design is best-suited for treatments which have ____.

A) a permanent effect
B) an immediate but temporary effect
C) a very delayed effect
D) coincidence long-lasting effect

Question 33

What is an ethical concern for the ABAB design?

A) Continuing to administer the treatment after it has already been shown to be effective
B) Administering the treatment immediately after the initial baseline phase
C) Removing the treatment after it has already been shown to be effective
D) Reintroducing the treatment after it has already been shown to be effective

Question 34

The advantage of an ABAB design versus a simple AB phase-change design is that the ABAB design ____.

A) can be used when a treatment has a permanent or long-lasting effect
B) does not require a stable baseline phase
C) reduces the probability that the result is just chance or coincidence
D) can be used even if the treatment effect is temporary

Question 35

The credibility of any causal conclusions drawn using the ABAB design depends largely on the ____.

A) intensity of the treatment
B) stability of behavioral change when the treatment is first introduced
C) stability of behavioral change when the treatment is reintroduced
D) return to baseline component

Question 36

A researcher has developed a device to prevent snoring. The device works immediately when it is put on, but has no lasting effect when it is removed. The researcher decides to evaluate this device with a single-case design. Which design is most appropriate?

A) ABAB design
B) Multiple-baseline design
C) Alternating treatments design
D) Changing criterion design

Question 37

A researcher wants to explore the effectiveness of a treatment which has several, well-defined, distinct elements, and she would like to know the extent to which each element contributes to the overall treatment effect. Which research design should she use?

A) ABAB design
B) Multiple-baseline across situations design
C) Multiple-baseline across behaviors design
D) Component-analysis design

Question 38

In a multiple-baseline design using two participants, what should a researcher do to ensure that any change in behavior is due to the treatment and not an outside factor?

A) Revert back to the baseline for one of the participants, but not the other
B) Introduce the treatment at a different time for each participant
C) Introduce the treatment immediately for both participants
D) Administer a questionnaire to ask participants about outside influences

Question 39

A key feature of the multiple-baseline design is that it _____.

A) requires only one phase change
B) can show correlation but not causation
C) is descriptive rather than experimental
D) does not allow for manipulation of an independent variable

Question 40

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?

A) ABAB
B) Multiple-baseline across behaviors
C) Multiple-baseline across situations
D) Multiple-baseline across subjects

Question 41

A multiple-baseline design requires that the targeted behavior return to baseline levels when the treatment is removed.

Question 42

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

Question 43

A baseline phase consists of a series of observations made immediately after a treatment is introduced.

Question 44

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

Question 45

The success of a single-case experiment depends on demonstrating that behavior changes when the treatment is implemented and then repeating the demonstration at least one more time.

Question 46

Unlike experiments, single-case studies do not manipulate an independent variable.

Question 47

The component-analysis design cannot be done with treatments that are permanent or long-term.

Question 48

A multiple-baseline design requires two groups of participants.

Question 49

When high variability exists in the data from a single-case study, additional observations should be made beyond the minimum of three observations in each phase.

Question 50

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.

Question 51

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

Question 52

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

Question 53

When a treatment is expected to have long-lasting effects, a multiple-baseline design is the most appropriate single-case design.

Question 54

One strategy for a component-analysis study is to begin with a full-treatment phase, then withdraw or remove components one by one.

Question 55

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

Question 56

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

Question 57

In the notation for single-case designs (e.g., ABAB), the letter B represents the baseline phase.

Question 58

The goal of single-case designs is to demonstrate that the manipulation of a treatment is responsible for causing changes in behavior.

Question 59

If a researcher is planning an ABAB design but the participant does not respond to the treatment, the researcher can simply switch to a new treatment and begin a more complex phase-change design.

Question 60

Three components help researchers control other variables in a single-case study: baseline measurements, repeated observations, and replication.

Question 61

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

Question 62

Describe the goal of a single-case research study.

Question 63

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

Question 64

The most commonly used single-case designs are the ABAB design and the multiple-baseline design. Describe the different circumstances for which each of these designs is appropriate.

Question 65

Describe how single-case designs are similar to descriptive case studies and quasi-experimental time-series designs.

Question 66

Discuss the general advantages and disadvantages of single-case research compared to traditional group designs.

Question 67

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