Question 1

What is the major distinction between the group research design and the single-subject research design?

Accepted Answer

The major distinction lies in the scope of measurement: single-subject designs focus on repeated measures of behavior for an individual, while group designs assess the behavior across multiple individuals.

Question 2

Which of the following is/are examples of a single-subject research design?

Accepted Answer

The AB design is a type of single-subject research design that involves a baseline phase (A) followed by a treatment or intervention phase (B). The XYZ and CC designs are not standard or recognized single-subject research designs in the context of behavioral or educational research.

Question 3

Which of the following is/are examples of single-subject research designs?

Accepted Answer

The ABC design is a type of single-subject research design, which involves observing a single subject's behavior across different phases.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about single-subject research designs is true?

Accepted Answer

The treatment period in single-subject research designs is when the intervention or service is being applied and measurements are taken to assess its impact. The baseline period is when measurements of the target behavior are taken without the intervention, to establish a comparison point.

Question 5

In the label for the single-subject research design, the letter that represents a period of time where clients are being measured on the target behavior but are not getting treatment is/are the letter(s) ______

Accepted Answer

The letter "A" in single-subject research design labels represents a baseline period where clients are measured on the target behavior but are not receiving treatment. This phase is used to establish a baseline for comparison with the treatment phase.

Question 6

After you select your client for your single-subject research study, what is the next step in the process of evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Developing the treatment objective is the next step after selecting your client for a single-subject research study. This involves defining what the study aims to achieve with the treatment or intervention.

Question 7

How many different types of treatment (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, tutoring, etc.) are included in the ABAB single-subject research study?

Accepted Answer

The ABAB single-subject research design involves only one type of treatment, which is alternated with a baseline condition (A = baseline, B = treatment).

Question 8

How many baseline periods are included in the ABAB single-subject research study?

Accepted Answer

An ABAB single-subject research study includes two baseline periods. The design is structured as follows: A (baseline) - B (intervention) - A (return to baseline) - B (reintroduction of the intervention), hence two baseline periods are included.

Question 9

Which of the following single-subject research designs fail to address (e.g., control for) maturation as a threat to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following single-subject research designs...

Question 10

Which of the following single-subject research designs addresses maturation as a threat to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

Both the AB design and the ABC design address maturation as a threat to internal validity by incorporating multiple phases, such as a baseline (A) phase, an intervention (B) phase, and in the case of the ABC design, an additional phase (C) that can further help in distinguishing the effects of maturation from the effects of the intervention.

Question 11

What is the data collection structure for the AB single-subject design?

Accepted Answer

The AB single-subject design involves measuring a single client's behavior both before (baseline period) and after (treatment period) an intervention is applied, allowing for direct comparison of behavior across these two phases.

Question 12

Which single-subject design is considered to be an experimental?

Accepted Answer

The ABAB design, also known as the reversal or withdrawal design, is considered experimental because it involves repeated measures and manipulations of the independent variable to observe its effect on the dependent variable, allowing for the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 13

When you employ the BC single-subject design, you have ______.

Accepted Answer

The BC single-subject design involves two treatment periods without a baseline period.

Question 14

What types of data situations would suggest that the statistical analysis of data is not warranted in single-subject research?

Accepted Answer

An ambiguous or erratic baseline makes it difficult to establish a clear pattern of behavior before the intervention, complicating the interpretation of any changes attributed to the intervention. This uncertainty undermines the rationale for statistical analysis in single-subject research, which relies on clear, stable baselines to determine the effect of interventions.

Question 15

When you employ the AB single-subject research, what is/are the questions that you must answer affirmatively in order to report that your data supported your hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

Option C is correct because it combines the essential elements of evaluating an AB single-subject research design: determining if the treatment period scores are superior to those expected by the baseline trend and assessing the statistical significance of the differences between treatment and baseline scores.

Question 16

Consider the following data analysis question: "Are the treatment scores significantly more positive than a horizontal line?" For which research design is this question most relevant?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Consider the following data analysis question: "Are...

Question 17

Consider the following data analysis question: "Are the treatment scores significantly more positive than the baseline scores?" For which research design is this question most relevant?

Accepted Answer

The AB single-subject design is most relevant for this question because it involves comparing a baseline phase (A) to a treatment phase (B), allowing for the assessment of whether the treatment leads to significantly more positive outcomes than the baseline.

Question 18

What is the data structure for the limited AB single-subject design?

Accepted Answer

There is one baseline score and several treatment scores in the limited AB single-subject design.

Question 19

Suppose you have achieved statistical significance and you are examining the issue of practical significance with the single-subject study. What is the question you must answer?

Accepted Answer

The question of practical significance revolves around whether the observed changes or gains are meaningful in a real-world or clinical context, beyond just being statistically significant. This involves assessing if the measured improvements have a significant impact on the client's functioning or quality of life, hence option D is correct.

Question 20

For some research designs, one of the weaknesses of the single-subject research study is ______.

Accepted Answer

The carryover effect is a recognized limitation in single-subject research designs, where the impact of the intervention may continue to influence participants' behavior or outcomes even after the intervention has ended, complicating the interpretation of results.

Quiz 15: Selecting a Research Design for a Single Client