GED 500 – Lesson 6 Single Subject Designs

Lesson Objectives After completing all activities in this lesson, learners will be able to - identify, diagram and describe types of single subject research designs. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Experimental research implies that the independent variable can be manipulated. Sometimes the experiment involves only one subject – especially in the measurement of behavior, in Counseling research and in Special Education research. The experimental designs for this purpose are Single Subject designs. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs In Single Subject designs, as in all experimental designs, there is a “treatment” that serves as the independent variable. Comparisons that take place in Single Subject designs take place over time. Since there is only one subject, the comparison can be only of that one subject at different observation times during the study. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Single Subject designs most often have baseline, treatment, and observation phases. In the baseline phase no treatment is given. The dependent variable (often behavior) is measured. The strongest Single Subject design includes a baseline phase before and an observation after a treatment. Data is collected during the baseline and during the post treatment observation. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Single Subject designs often have A-B-A or A-B-A-B designations The As and Bs are associated with baseline (measurement), treatment and observation (measurement). GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs For example, A-B-A means that there is: Baseline measurement (A) Treatment (B) Observation (A) A-B-A-B means that there is… GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs In each of the phases, the dependent variable is measured several times to achieve stability (as in the time-series design). The A-B pattern can be designed in almost any configuration: A-B-A A-A-B-A-A A-B1-A-B2-A (two different treatments) GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Charts are often used to illustrate A-B-A etc. results. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Another type of Single Subject design is called multiple baseline, which extends the comparisons beyond one behavior with one subject. There are several types: across-behaviors (more than one behavior for one subject) across-subjects (the same behavior for several subjects) across-settings (one behavior, one subject, several settings) GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs For example, a Special Education teacher might want to know if a behavior management program works the same way for several students (across-subjects), for both acting out and self-biting (across-behaviors), or for a student in the classroom and on the playground (across-settings). GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs Multiple baseline data is also commonly reported in chart form. GED 500 Lesson 6

Single Subject Research Designs If two treatments are compared simultaneously for one subject, it is called an alternating treatments design. In this case, treatments are alternated and the behavior is measured for each condition. Results are charted. GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check Single Subject designs are most commonly used for research involving… behavior teaching and learning children interacting with parents GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check (Single Subject) Single Subject designs are most commonly used for research involving… behavior teaching and learning children interacting with parents GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check The A-B-A design means… Treatment, Baseline, Treatment Treatment A, Baseline, Treatment B Baseline, Treatment, Observation GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check The A-B-A design means… Treatment, Baseline, Treatment Treatment A, Baseline, Treatment B Baseline, Treatment, Observation GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check The type of Single Subject design in which the effect of a treatment is measured on several subjects at the same time is… Multiple Baseline Multiple Subject Study Multiple Settings Study GED 500 Lesson 6

Self-Check The type of Single Subject design in which the effect of a treatment is measured on several subjects at the same time is… Multiple Baseline Multiple Subject Study Multiple Settings Study GED 500 Lesson 6

End of Lesson 6 GED 500 Lesson 6