1. Other single subject designs part 2

2. Another design is the A-B-A design
Another design is the A-B-A design. An A-B-A design (also known as a reversal design) involves discontinuing the intervention and returning to a baseline.
Baseline Praise Baseline 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency of disruptions
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3. Another design is the A-B-A design
Another design is the A-B-A design. An A-B-A design (also known as a reversal design) involves discontinuing the intervention and returning to a baseline.
A B A
Baseline Praise Baseline 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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4. Of course in these designs where you withdraw treatment (sometimes called reversal designs), you always restore treatment
For example, an A-B-A-B design

5. HERE IS WHAT A COMPLETE A-B-A-B CHART MIGHT LOOK LIKE
Notice that there is no use of statistics here. One can see the effects of the
intervention. By withdrawing the intervention, we can see empirically
(through the senses), that the intervention is the cause of the change.
We use statistics when we cannot directly see the results or when we can’t
Trust our senses

6. But why would you withdraw treatment?
Recall that “evidence-based practice” requires that you show that it is the treatment or intervention that is producing the change.
By removing the treatment and reintroducing it – an A-B-A-B design, we establish a causal link between the problem behavior and the intervention

7. But what else could cause the change in the problem behavior?
Perhaps the stressor that causes the problem just goes away
Sometimes people just naturally change over time
Sometimes just the act of measuring a problem decreases its occurrence. ( a good example is how ‘calorie counting’ is used in ‘weight watchers’.)
In research, these are known as threats to internal validity. What that means simply is that other things could be causing the change and not your intervention so the experiment is invalid. you have no proof that the intervention is causing the change.

8. EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL
Single-subject research designs provide experimental control for most threats to internal validity and, thereby, allow confirniiuion of a functional relationship between manipulation of the independent variable and change in the dependent
variable. In most cases experimental control is demonstrated when the design documents three demonstrations of the experimental effect at three different points in time with a single participant (within-subject replication), or across different participants (inter-subject replication). An experimental
effect is demonstrated when predicted change in the dependent variable covaries with manipulation of the independent variable (e.g., the level, and/or variability of the dataset in a phase decreases when a behavior-reduction intervention
is implemented, or the level and/or variability of the dataset in A phase increases when the behavior-reduction intervention is withdrawn).
Documentation of experimental control is achieved through (a) the introduction and withdrawal (or reversal) ot the independent variable; (b) the staggered introduction of the independent variable at different points in time (e.g., multiple
baseline); or (c) the iterative manipulation ol^ the independent variable (or levels of the independent variable) across observation periods (e.g., alternating
treatments designs).

9. But isn’t it UNETHICAL to withhold or withdraw treatment?
We will deal with this later in the presentation!
But what if the behavior is so severe that treatment or intervention is needed immediately?

10. Sometimes an individual’s behavior is so severe that the researcher cannot wait to establish a baseline and must begin with an intervention. In this case, a B-A-B design is used. The intervention
Praise 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency of disruptions
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11. Sometimes an individual’s behavior is so severe that the researcher cannot wait to establish a baseline and must begin with an intervention. In this case, a B-A-B design is used. The intervention is followed by a baseline
Praise Baseline 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency of disruptions
Day

12. Sometimes an individual’s behavior is so severe that the researcher cannot wait to establish a baseline and must begin with an intervention. In this case, a B-A-B design is used. The intervention is followed by a baseline followed by the intervention.
Notice that treatment is withdrawn for only a brief time period!
Praise Baseline Praise 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency of disruptions
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13. Sometimes an individual’s behavior is so severe that the researcher cannot wait to establish a baseline and must begin with an intervention. In this case, a B-A-B design is used. The intervention is followed by a baseline followed by the intervention. Notice that treatment is withdrawn for only a brief time period!
B A B
Praise Baseline Praise 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Frequency of disruptions
Day

14. Another alternative to a B-A-B design is THE RECONSTRUCTED BASELINE
A reconstructed baseline is a baseline that is created by the client’s recollection of the problem or problem behavior.
Here you do not directly measure the client’s problem, but measure indirectly through the client (or parents or teachers etc) self-report of what the problem was like before they came to you.

15. This can be done through a thorough assessment (how does the client DO the problem?) when meeting with the client.
A reconstructed baseline has the same dimensions as a direct baseline measurement. It is:
Thorough
Specific (frequency, duration or magnitude)
Measurable (quantifiable)
observable
Valid – it measures the problem and what you are trying to change
Sensitive to changes
individualized
Many practitioners use a reconstructed baseline

16. Regardless of the research design, the line graphs used to illustrate the data contain a set of common elements.
Dependent measure
Condition identifications
Independent variable
Baseline Praise 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Condition change line
Frequency of disruptions
Data points
Data path
Unit of time
Day
Measure of time

17. Regardless of the research design, the line graphs used to illustrate the data contain a set of common elements. Please read Chapter 14 in your text to learn more about Single-Subject Research and other Single-Subject Research Designs.
Dependent measure
problem
Condition identifications
Independent variable
intervention
Baseline Praise 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Condition change line
Frequency of disruptions
Data points
Data path
Unit of time
Day
Measure of time

18. BUT ISN’T IT UNETHICAL (AND CRUEL) TO WITHDRAW TREATMENT?
Most of the time, it is!
It is not, when the problem is not debilitating
Or when withdrawing treatment helps the client SEE the importance of continuing treatment
ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES TO WITHDRAWING TREATMENT?
YES!

19. AN A-B-C RESEARCH DESIGN
“A” PHASE = BASELINE
“B” PHASE = INTERVENTION OR TREATMENT. (NOTICE THAT SO FAR NOTHING IS DIFFERENT)
“C” PHASE = 1. EITHER A LESSENING OF THE INTERVENTION (RECALL THE EXAMPLE OF PRAISE AS AN INTERVENTION. HERE ‘PRAISE’ WOULD BE LESSENED TO ‘GIVING PRAISE’ AT THE END OF ONE CLASS PERIOD RATHER THAN EVERY TIME THE CHILD DOES SOMETHING RIGHT) OR 2. ADDING ANOTHER INTERVENTION OR TREATMENT COMPONENT IN ADDITION TO THE ONE YOU ARE ALREADY USING IN THE “B” PHASE.

20. MULTIPLE BASELINE RESEARCH DESIGNS
Multiple baseline designs involve 2 or more participants, two or more settings that the problem occurs in or two or more problem behaviors
Does not require a reversal or withdrawal
Relies on staggered implementation of intervention to demonstrate cause-effect
Participants’ behavior should change only when the intervention is introduced

21. Multiple baseline with different subjects

22. At the very least, you should be able to use a simple A-B design
Treatment B
Baseline A
Eye Contact
Time in Weeks
Above is an example of a design working with someone who has a
“social phobia’ or shyness. Notice that we are working only with one problem
Component of shyness; “eye contact”

23. Treatment Baseline B A Making small talk Time in Weeks
However, we could turn this into a ‘multiple baseline’ by adding another
“problem behavior” that is a component of shyness AFTER AND ONLY AFTER
eye contact has shown some improvement (MAYBE THE THIRD WEEK OF TX)
Treatment B
Baseline A
Making small talk
Time in Weeks
Above is an example of a design working with someone who has a “social phobia’ or shyness. Notice that we are working only with one problem Component of shyness; “making small talk” after the client can establish some eye contact. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IS SOLVED TO BEGIN THE SECOND INTERVENTION; JUST MAKE SURE IT IS IMPROVING

24. Treatment Baseline B A Time in Weeks GOING OUT WITH FRIENDS
In the 5th session we could add another “problem behavior” that is a
component of shyness; going out with friends
Treatment B
Baseline A
GOING OUT WITH FRIENDS
Time in Weeks
Thus in 5 or 6 sessions, we have begun to treat and measure three changes in problem behaviors that are components of
Shyness. With a multiple baseline, we treat begin the treatment of problem behaviors, one at a time.

25. One can also use a multiple baseline with different clients, rather than the problem behaviors of a single client
Or the problem behavior of one client in different settings. For example,with a child who mis-behaves ‘everywhere’, we might first focus on behavior at school, then the same behavior at home, then the same behavior in social situations.
The important thing is that the baselines and interventions are ‘staggered’ to show a ‘causal relationship between the dependent variable (the problem) and the independent variable (the treatment)

26. Multiple baseline N O T I C E
How Tx Is S A G R d
Or problem #1
Or problem #2
Or problem #3