Deck 6: Single-Subject Designs

Question 1

Characteristics of the single-subject design include:

A) Active independent variable
B) 4 or fewer subjects
C) The IV is initiated and withheld several times during the study
D) All of the above

Answer 1

All of the above

Question 2

The single-subject design is considered quasi-experimental because:

A) There is an attribute IV
B) There are few subjects included in the study
C) There is no random assignment of participants to treatments
D) a and c

Answer 2

There is no random assignment of participants to treatments

Question 3

Characteristics of the ABAB design include:

A) The participant is observed until the baseline is relatively flat
B) The amount of time allotted to the baseline and treatment conditions is set prior to the study
C) After the baseline has leveled off, the treatment is initiated
D) a and c

Answer 3

a and c

Question 4

Some common problems with reversal designs include:

A) Stabilization, or the time it takes to obtain a stable baseline
B) Reactivity of the participant to the presence of an observer
C) No change in performance with treatment withdrawal due to permanent treatment effects
D) All of the above

Question 5

With multiple-baseline designs, multiple baselines may include:

A) Responses of three different participants
B) Responses of three different behaviors of three different participants
C) Responses of one behavior for three different participants in three different settings
D) All of the above

Question 6

The key to multiple-baseline designs is:

A) Some external event only affects one behavior, participant, or setting
B) The researcher observes the effects on one baseline while the other 2 baselines remain unchanged
C) One baseline is recorded at a time
D) The researcher can eliminate the ethical problems common with ABAB designs

Question 7

Independence of treatment effects may be violated with which of the following multiple baseline designs:

A) Across subjects design
B) Across behaviors design
C) Across settings design
D) b and c

Question 8

Measurement issues with single-subject designs include:

A) The number of responses per period/session must be the same
B) The number of measurement periods between one phase and another must be the same
C) The measurement instrument must yield a sufficient number of responses per session
D) a and c

Question 9

Behavioral observation works best with single-subject designs when:

A) The observer is well-known to the participants
B) The observer interacts with the participants
C) Critical responses are determined as they occur in a natural setting
D) Interrater reliability is determined

Question 10

The visual analysis of single-subject designs includes:

A) Mean level of change
B) Trends
C) Trend lines
D) All of the above

Question 11

Case studies are examples of single subject designs.

Question 12

The minimum reversal design has three baselines (A) and three treatments (B).

Question 13

Additional A and B phases to a single-subject design decrease the threats to external validity.

Question 14

External influences may cause irregular performance with a single-subject design.

Question 15

The ABAB design limits the researcher to two phases, baseline and treatment conditions.

Question 16

Multiple-baseline designs should eliminate the internal validity threat of history.

Question 17

The multiple baseline across behaviors design is successful when the treatments affect each targeted behavior independently.

Question 18

The multiple baseline across settings design is successful when the changes in responding to one setting interact with the changes of each other setting.

Question 19

Flexibility is the major strength of multiple-baseline designs.

Question 20

Random assignment of treatment to a particular participant, setting, or behavior in a multiple-baseline design decreases the design's flexibility.

Question 21

Trend lines are the only criterion needed when doing a visual analysis of single-subject designs.

Question 22

Since so few subjects are used with single-subject designs, the threats to external validity are reduced.

Question 23

Describe the process of conducting an ABAB design.

Question 24

What is the purpose of a multielement design?

Question 25

What are the problems with conducting meta-analysis with single-subjects designs?