Deck 8: Single-Subject Design

Question 1

Single subject design refers only to single clients.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A relatively flat line is known as a trend.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A cycle is a pattern which reflects the ups and downs depending on time of measurement.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

A relatively flat line is preferred in all baseline measures.

Question 5

Repeated measurement is essential for a single subject design.

Question 6

The baseline phase is when the intervention is implemented.

Question 7

A pattern can be discerned with a minimum of three measures.

Question 8

A pattern exists when you can with a high degree of certainty predict the next data point.

Question 9

The A-B design controls for all threats to internal validity.

Question 10

The A-B-A design builds on the A-B design by adding a post-treatment follow-up.

Question 11

Direct replication refers to repeating the same procedures, by different researchers, in different settings, with the same clients.

Question 12

Systematic replication involves repeating the experiment with different providers in different settings.

Question 13

A-B and A-B-A are two types of withdrawal designs.

Question 14

A-B-A designs are useful to address concerns about the persistence of the intervention.

Question 15

Trends can be represented using summary lines.

Question 16

Participants must not know that intervention may be delayed while baseline information is being collected so as not to taint the results.

Question 17

Reactivity may well be a benefit in single subject design.

Question 18

Magnitude refers to the intensity of a particular behavior or psychological state.

Question 19

Match the type of design with the description.
-A-B

A) Refers to baseline and intervention only
B) Refers to baseline and three separate interventions
C) Refers to baseline and intervention followed by baseline and intervention
D) Refers to baseline, followed by an intervention and another baseline

Question 20

Match the type of design with the description.
-A-B-A

A) Refers to baseline and intervention only
B) Refers to baseline and three separate interventions
C) Refers to baseline and intervention followed by baseline and intervention
D) Refers to baseline, followed by an intervention and another baseline

Question 21

Match the type of design with the description.
-A-B-A-B

A) Refers to baseline and intervention only
B) Refers to baseline and three separate interventions
C) Refers to baseline and intervention followed by baseline and intervention
D) Refers to baseline, followed by an intervention and another baseline

Question 22

Match the type of design with the description.
-A-B-C-D

A) Refers to baseline and intervention only
B) Refers to baseline and three separate interventions
C) Refers to baseline and intervention followed by baseline and intervention
D) Refers to baseline, followed by an intervention and another baseline

Question 23

Single Subject Design Analysis
-Level

A) Diagrammed representation of change along axes
B) Magnitude or amount of target variable
C) How different the scores are within a phase
D) Intensity of a particular behavior or psychological state increases

Question 24

Single Subject Design Analysis
-Trend

A) Diagrammed representation of change along axes
B) Magnitude or amount of target variable
C) How different the scores are within a phase
D) Intensity of a particular behavior or psychological state increases

Question 25

Single Subject Design Analysis
-Variability

A) Diagrammed representation of change along axes
B) Magnitude or amount of target variable
C) How different the scores are within a phase
D) Intensity of a particular behavior or psychological state increases

Question 26

Single Subject Design Analysis
-Graph

A) Diagrammed representation of change along axes
B) Magnitude or amount of target variable
C) How different the scores are within a phase
D) Intensity of a particular behavior or psychological state increases

Question 27

As a social work tool, single subject design can be used with:

A) A single client
B) A single agency
C) A single community
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 28

As a research method, single subject design has the following components:

A) Repeated measures
B) Baseline phase
C) Treatment Phase
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 29

Repeated baseline measurements help improve the ______ of a single subject design.

A) Ecological validity
B) Generalizability
C) Internal validity
D) Sample representativeness

Question 30

If you are using a single subject design to evaluate an intervention with an abusive parent, which of the following indicators of effectiveness would be the least appropriate, given the number of data points needed?

A) Number of positive parenting behaviors
B) Number of incidences of severe physical abuse
C) Number of negative comments to the child
D) Amount of time spent playing with the child

Question 31

In single subject design the use of retrospective data:

A) Is always important for baseline
B) Should only be limited to the past 90 days
C) May be used to accelerate the time needed to begin intervention
D) a and b only
E) None of the above

Question 32

Visual analysis of the data:

A) Is the process of looking at a graph of data points
B) Has the purpose of determining if intervention has altered behavior
C) Is used to examine variability
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 33

An ascending or descending line is known as a

A) Stable line
B) Trend
C) Cycle
D) Target
E) Regression

Question 34

A relatively flat line is known as a

A) Stable line
B) Trend
C) Cycle
D) Target
E) Regression

Question 35

A measure of the length of time an event or symptom lasts is known as:

A) Frequency
B) Duration
C) Interval
D) Magnitude
E) Regression

Question 36

A measure between events is known as

A) Frequency
B) Duration
C) Interval
D) Magnitude
E) Regression

Question 37

Which of the following are considered to be potential problems with interpreting visual patterns?

A) Widely discrepant scores
B) Interpreting changes
C) Improvement happens in the baseline phase
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 38

A pattern reflecting ups and downs dependent on times of measurement is called a:

A) Stable line
B) Trend
C) Cycle
D) Target
E) Regression

Question 39

Internal validity:

A) Is impossible to achieve in single subject designs
B) Can be enhanced using repeated measures at baseline
C) Can be enhanced using repeated measures in the intervention phase
D) b and c only
E) None of the above

Question 40

_________________ can be controlled through the use of repeated measures.

A) Maturation
B) Instrumentation
C) Statistical regression
D) a and b only
E) All of the above

Question 41

If statistical regression or testing occur at all, it will likely be:

A) Prior to the baseline phase
B) During the baseline phase
C) During the intervention phase
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 42

Repeated measurement in the baseline phase will NOT control for:

A) Maturation
B) Testing effects
C) History
D) Statistical regression
E) Will control for all of the above

Question 43

In a single subject design, the intervention is considered to be:

A) The dependent variable
B) The independent variable
C) The moderating variable
D) The facilitating variable
E) The reactive variable

Question 44

Measures of behavior are often characterized:

A) By frequency
B) By duration
C) By interval
D) By magnitude
E) All of the above

Question 45

Measuring the number of beers a client drinks in a week measures:

A) Frequency
B) Duration
C) Interval
D) Magnitude
E) None of the above

Question 46

Measuring the number of consecutive days a client stayed in an inpatient unit measures:

A) Frequency
B) Duration
C) Interval
D) Magnitude
E) None of the above

Question 47

Measuring the time between in-patient hospitalization stays would assess:

A) Frequency
B) Duration
C) Interval
D) Magnitude
E) None of the above

Question 48

Which of the following is suggested to evaluate the practical significance of the researcher's findings?

A) Setting criteria
B) Establishing cut off scores
C) Weigh the costs and benefits
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 49

The purpose of monitoring is to:

A) Describe the intervention
B) Describe the effectiveness of the intervention
C) Track client's progress in a systematic way
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 50

The implementation of A-B-A or A-B-A-B designs concurrently for at least three cases is called:

A) Withdrawal design
B) Multiple Intervention Designs
C) Multiple Baseline Design
D) Recovery design
E) Reactivity design

Question 51

Single subject designs can be used for:

A) Research
B) Evaluation of practice
C) Monitoring client progress
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 52

Dr. Smith begins measuring the procrastination habits of six clients at the same time. She then staggers the implementation of a cognitive-behavioral intervention so that each client begins the treatment at a different time. This design is best characterized as:

A) Multiple baseline design used across subjects
B) Multiple baseline design used across target problems
C) Multiple baseline design used across different settings
D) Multiple component design

Question 53

Discuss the concept of single subject design in your own words. What are the advantages of this design?
What are the disadvantages?

Question 54

List and discuss the three sequential replication strategies outlined in the chapter. What is the advantage of doing this?

Question 55

List and describe patterns that may emerge during the baseline phase. What do each of these three common types of patterns indicate?

Question 56

You are assigned a client who has mild mental retardation and severe ADHD. Among the symptoms that his parents would like to be better controlled are frequent temper tantrums, which include screaming, crying, and destruction of property. Design a plan to test the effectiveness of your chosen intervention. Defend the choice of design. Explain how you reached the decision you made and why you rejected the alternatives.

Question 57

Using a social work example, define and describe under what circumstances you would use an A-B design. An A-B-A design?
A B-A design?
A multiple baseline design?
A multiple treatment design?

Question 58

Imagine that you are assigned a client who had been recently suspended from her high school. You are a specialist in treating adolescents with problems such as hers. The school wants you to evaluate the effect of your world renowned intervention with this young woman. In a letter to the principal, define and defend your evaluation procedure in depth.

Question 59

Compare and contrast different visual methods to assess data.

Question 60

Discuss the ethical issues relevant to single subject designs. What safeguards would you employ to ensure the protection of your client?
Explain in depth.