A-B-A-B
editA-B-A-B
editA-B-A-B designs begin with establishing a baseline (A #1) then introduce a new behavior or treatment (B #1). Then there is a return to the baseline (A #2) by removing B #1. B #2 is a return of the new behavior or treatment.
A-B
editAn AB design is a two-part or phase design composed of a baseline ("A" phase) with no changes and a treatment or intervention ("B") phase.[1][2] If there is a change then the treatment may be said to have had an effect. However, it is subject to many possible competing hypotheses, making strong conclusions difficult. Variants on the AB design introduce ways to control for the competing hypotheses to allow for stronger conclusions.
Reversal or A-B-A
editThe reversal design is the most powerful of the single-subject research designs showing a strong reversal from baseline ("A") to treatment ("B") and back again. If the variable returns to baseline measure without a treatment then resumes its effects when reapplied, the researcher can have greater confidence in the efficacy of that treatment. However, many interventions cannot be reversed, some for ethical reasons (e.g., involving self-injurious behavior, smoking) and some for practical reasons (they cannot be unlearned, like a skill).[3]
Further ethics notes: It may be unethical to end an experiment on a baseline measure if the treatment is self-sustaining and highly beneficial and/or related to health. Control condition participants may also deserve the benefits of research once all data has been collected. It is a researcher's ethical duty to maximize benefits and to ensure that all participants have access to those benefits when possible.
A-B-C
editThe A-B-C design is a variant that allows for the extension of research questions around component, parametric and comparative questions.[4]
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Article Draft
editSingle-subject research is a group of research methods that are used extensively in the experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis with both human and non-human participants. This research strategy focuses on one participant and tracks their progress in the research topic over a period of time. Single-subject research allows researchers to track changes in an individual over a large stretch of time instead of observing different people at different stages. This type of research can provide critical data in several fields, specifically psychology. It is most commonly used in experimental and applied analysis of behaviors. This research has been heavily debated over the years. Some believe that this research method is not effective at all while others praise the data that can be collected from it. Principal methods in this type of research are: A-B-A-B designs, Multi-element designs, Multiple Baseline designs, Repeated acquisition designs, Brief experimental designs and Combined designs.
editArticle body
editA-B-A-B
editA-B-A-B designs begin with establishing a baseline (A #1) then introduce a new behavior or treatment (B #1). Then there is a return to the baseline (A #2) by removing B #1. B #2 is a return of the new behavior or treatment.
A-B
editAn AB design is a two-part or phase design composed of a baseline ("A" phase) with no changes and a treatment or intervention ("B") phase.[1][2] If there is a change then the treatment may be said to have had an effect. However, it is subject to many possible competing hypotheses, making strong conclusions difficult. Variants on the AB design introduce ways to control for the competing hypotheses to allow for stronger conclusions.
Reversal or A-B-A
editThe reversal design is the most powerful of the single-subject research designs showing a strong reversal from baseline ("A") to treatment ("B") and back again. If the variable returns to baseline measure without a treatment then resumes its effects when reapplied, the researcher can have greater confidence in the efficacy of that treatment. However, many interventions cannot be reversed, some for ethical reasons (e.g., involving self-injurious behavior, smoking) and some for practical reasons (they cannot be unlearned, like a skill).[3]
Further ethics notes: It may be unethical to end an experiment on a baseline measure if the treatment is self-sustaining and highly beneficial and/or related to health. Control condition participants may also deserve the benefits of research once all data has been collected. It is a researcher's ethical duty to maximize benefits and to ensure that all participants have access to those benefits when possible.
A-B-C
editThe A-B-C design is a variant that allows for the extension of research questions around component, parametric and comparative questions.[4]
Multi-element designs sometimes referred to as alternating-treatment designs are used in order to ascertain the comparative effect of two treatments. Two treatments are alternated in rapid succession and correlated changes are plotted on a graph to facilitate comparison. Multi-element designs are typically used in Single-subject research to accurately test multiple independent variables at once.
Combined
Combined Single-subject research is used to gain added knowledge on the research question and are used to make group research run better. The combined design has arisen from a need to obtain answers to more complex research questions. Combining two or more single-case designs, such as A-B-A-B and multiple baseline, may produce such answers.
References
editBryan, A. J. (1987). Single-Subject Designs for Evaluation of Sport Psychology Interventions, The Sport Psychologist, 1(4), 283-292. Retrieved Nov 19, 2022, from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/tsp/1/4/article-p283.xml
Richards, Stephen B. Single Subject Research: Applications in Educational Settings. Cengage, 2019.
HAINS, ANN HIGGINS. “Multi-Element Designs for Early Intervention Research.” Journal of Early Intervention, vol. 15, no. 2, 1991, pp. 185–192., https://doi.org/10.1177/105381519101500207.
Terje Johannessen, Daniel Fosstvedt & Hermod Petersen (1991) Combined Single Subject Trials, Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 9:1, 23-27, DOI: 10.3109/02813439109026577
- ^ a b "Introduction to Single Subject Designs: AB (Baseline And Intervention) Design". www.msu.edu, 2000. Archived July 31, 2001, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Kennedy, 2005, p. 124.
- ^ a b Kazdin, Alan (1982). Single-Case Research Designs. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-503021-4.
- ^ a b Kennedy, 2005, p. 132
Multiple baseline tests are used to determine the helpfulness of an intervention. By focusing daily data collection on one participant, researchers can prepare to expanded their research. This research method yields a high amount of data that can be analyzed by researchers. This data can then be used to support a researchers hypothesis and/or give insight before moving on to a group research project.