Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference Single-Subject Research Design to Assess the Efficacy of Interventions April Dominguez, PhD Assistant Professor – CAFS Cal State University - Bakersfield Gene Eakin PhD School Counseling Program Lead Oregon State University

SSRD: Primary Features Two basic approaches to experimental research 1.Group designs A.Experimental – Control & Experimental Groups B.Quasi-experimental 2.Individual designs A.Case study, e.g., FBA B.Experimental designs Purpose of experimental SSRD: Establish that behavior change occurred as a result of the introduction of the intervention

SSRD: Primary Features 1. Use results from a single participant, a dyad, a group, or a system 2. Systematic repeated, and multiple observations of one or more dependent variables during baseline & treatment phases 3. Systematically applying & sometimes, withdrawing or varying the independent variable/intervention. 4. Dependent variable must be a valid indicator of treatment effectiveness. 5. Treatment goal can consist of cognitions, affective reactions, behaviors, physiological responses or personality characteristics. (Heppner, 2008)

SSRD: Conducted in Phases a phase is a series of observations of the same individual under the same conditions when no treatment is being administered, the observations are called baseline observations; a series of baseline observations is called a baseline phase and is identified by the letter A when a treatment is being administered, the observations are called treatment observations. A series of treatment observations is called a treatment phase and is identified by the letter B.

Phases & Phase Changes a consistent level occurs when series of measurements are all approximately the same magnitude; in a graph, the series of data points cluster around a horizontal line a consistent trend occurs when the differences from one measurement to the next are consistently in the same direction and are approximately of the same magnitude; in a graph the series of the data points cluster around a sloping line

A-B Design “A” Baseline phase No intervention is applied to student; Frequency, intensity and/or duration is measured; How many minutes a student is out of his/ her seat during a 20 minute period “B” Intervention phase Intervention is applied to student; Baseline and intervention periods are compared to assess improvement in some aspect of student’s functioning Linda Foster presentation at 2007 ASCA in Denver, CO

A-B Design

PSCs: Factors Influencing Use 1. How are students different because of what counselors do? 2. Interventions can be individualized for each student or group of students. (Linda Foster presentation at 2007 ASCA in Denver, CO) 3. Allows for immediate evaluation of the effects of an intervention Provides school counselors with evidence to use in advocating for better student – counselor ratios. Gene Eakin – OSCA Advocacy Presentations

Implementation of Research 1. Current Observations 2. Determine the Problem 3. Ask the Question 4. Create a hypothesis 5. Determine the research design you will use 6. Recruit and select participants 7. Implement study 8. Analyze results 9. Use results to make curriculum/policy change

Current Observations 35 % Students failing freshman Algebra 90% of those freshman were doing well in other classes Interviews with students and parents suggested that testing anxiety, specifically in math, seemed to be their biggest barrier to their academic progress

Problem Longitudinal Impact of Math Anxiety includes lower student math achievement, an avoidance of majors that involve large amounts of math, and students who choose career paths that require less mathematics (Ashcroft & Moore, 2009; Hembree, 1990; Ma, 1999)

Problem: STEM The push for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) throughout our educational system is growing, thus increasing the need for intervention strategies with our youth who experience math anxiety. (Furner & Duffy, 2002)

Research Question What is the impact of a 12- session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy protocol on math anxiety in adolescents?

MBCT-C Still in its emerging stages of research Demonstrates efficacy as a promising intervention for students who suffer from mild to severe psychological and behavioral disorders (Semple et al., 2010)

Hypothesis H 1 - Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Children decreases feelings of mathematics anxiety in adolescent students. H o - Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children has no impact on the feelings of mathematics anxiety in adolescent students.

Methodology: Research Design Non-concurrent multiple baseline experimental research design across three subjects. This research design is encouraged in the field of education and other professions where applied research is needed to empirically prove results. (Foster, Watson, Meeks, & Young, 2002; Gast & Ledford, 2010; Watson & Workman, 1981 )

Recruit Participants The researcher requested from teachers in her school referrals of students who suffer from “high math anxiety.” The participants in this study were the first three students referred to the counselor who met the following criteria: (1) pre-experimental screening score of 229 on MARS-A (2) enrolled in the 9 th or 10 th grade (3) not currently receiving medication and/or psychotherapy for an anxiety disorder (4) absent no more than once in the previous 30 calendar days (5) consent (6) not on an Individualized Education Plan

Treatment Protocol Individually attended sessions of MBCT- C ◦ Approximately 45 minutes in length ◦ Twice per week ◦ Over the course of 6 weeks ◦ Total of 12 sessions The content for each session is Semple and Lee’s (2011) MBCT-C manual.

Data Analysis Conducted using visual analysis and calculating the percentage of non-overlapping data (Gast & Ledford, 2010; Parker, Hagan-Burke, & Vannest, 2007)

Visual Analysis 1. Identifying level ◦ Within phases ◦ Between phases 2. Identifying trend ◦ Improving, deteriorating, or flat-line ◦ Consistent or non-consistent (Gast & Ledford, 2010)

Percentage Non-Overlapping Data Data that are above the baseline measurement Calculated by 1) Identifying the highest baseline point 2) Count the number of intervention points that exceed the baseline point (non-overlapping) 3) Calculate the proportion of non-overlapping points to the total number of intervention points (Parker, Hagan-Burke, & Vannest, 2007)

Results Visual analysis for the data reported by all participants showed a consistent, improving trend during the intervention phases The percentage of non-overlapping data supported the visual analysis trend

Discussion: Hypothesis Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children decreases feelings of mathematics anxiety in adolescent students. ◦ Supported by the data These findings seem to suggest a need for interventions that can be used by professional school counselors to treat math anxiety in adolescents.

Make Change Redesign teaching structure Look at more support for students with math anxiety Look at how math anxiety developed

Challenges: SSRD process Design selection ◦ Manualized approach ◦ Assessment intruments Participant selection ◦ Consents ◦ TIME! Implementation ◦ Attendance ◦ Program buy in ◦ Follow up

Benefits of SSRD Design Evidence for change Relationships with students Learn about curriculum and process Develop efficacy in the field and on the school campus (we do more than schedule!) Helping the students!

Implications for School Counselors ◦ Professional school counselors (PSCs) are tasked with increasing student interest in STEM careers. ◦ PSCs use SSRD designs to evaluate specific interventions. ◦ PSCs build the case for the hiring of more PSCs.

Resources Go to and Enter: ◦ April Dominguez - School counselor's role with emotive factors : a quantitative investigation of school counseling program use of mindfulness- based cognitive therapy for children ◦ Heather Hadraba - The use of motivational interviewing within school counseling programs for academically unmotivated eighth grade students