Module 10 Flashcards
What are the two essential features of single-case designs?
- Repeated measurement over time
- Replication of effects within the same participant
What is the main difference between single-case and between-group designs?
Single-case: few participants, many observations
Between-group: many participants, few observations
List 4 nonessential features often associated with single-case designs.
- Focus on one or a few participants
- Focus on overt behavior
- Use of visual inspection
- Behavioral interventions
What are 4 special strengths of single-case designs?
- Evaluation of interventions
- Ongoing feedback during treatment
- Tests of generality
- Focus on the individual
What is the Intervention Package Strategy?
Compares a full intervention package to baseline to assess overall effectiveness.
What is the Dismantling Strategy?
Removes components from a full intervention package to see which are necessary or sufficient.
What is the Constructive Strategy?
Adds a new, qualitatively different component to an existing intervention to enhance its effect.
What is the Parametric Strategy?
Alters intensity, dose, or scheduling of an intervention component to optimize results.
What is the Comparative Outcome Strategy?
Compares two or more distinct interventions targeting the same behavior.
What is the Intervention-Moderator Strategy?
Examines whether client characteristics influence the direction or strength of an intervention’s effect.
What is the Intervention-Mediator/Mechanism Strategy?
Identifies the processes or mechanisms responsible for behavior change.
How do single-case designs support ongoing intervention adjustments?
They provide continuous data, allowing changes during treatment based on real-time feedback.
How can single-case designs test generality?
Through replication, use of probes, and extensions across participants, settings, and behaviors.
What are the goals of research according to Kazdin?
To draw valid, replicable conclusions, understand effects, and rule out bias or threats to validity.
Why should researchers consider single-case designs?
They allow individual evaluation, real-time adjustments, and are feasible for unevaluated interventions.
What is regression to the mean in single-case designs?
The tendency for extreme scores to be followed by more average scores, potentially misleading conclusions.
Why must phase changes be made cautiously in single-case designs?
To avoid altering phases prematurely; decisions should be based on trend, variability, and stability of data.
What is the general rule for shifting phases?
Stability in performance is more important than a fixed number of data points.
What are two guidelines Kazdin gives for shifting phases?
- Make the decision-making process explicit
- Specify decision rules in advance
What is statistical regression, and why is it important in single-case design?
It refers to the natural return to average levels; without recognizing it, changes may be wrongly attributed to the intervention.
What is the role of probes in single-case research?
Probes are occasional assessments used to test generalization across settings, behaviors, or individuals.
How do meta-analyses support generality in single-case designs?
They combine results from multiple studies to evaluate effects across participants, settings, and moderators.
What are three levels of analysis described by Kazdin?
- Individual participants (single-case)
- Groups of participants (between-group)
- Groups of studies (meta-analysis)
What is the value of multiple methodologies in research?
They provide diverse perspectives—qualitative, quantitative, single-case—and each reveals unique facets of a phenomenon.
What does Kazdin’s telescope metaphor represent?
Different research methods are like different telescopes—each reveals part of reality; all are needed for a full picture.
Why does Kazdin argue that relying only on group designs is limiting?
It restricts our understanding of individual change and can ignore important context or nuances.
How does qualitative research differ from single-case or group designs?
It focuses on rich, detailed, subjective experiences rather than numerical measures or group comparisons.
What is mixed-methods research?
A methodology that combines elements of quantitative and qualitative research for a more comprehensive analysis.
How can single-case designs be ethical tools?
They ensure interventions are evaluated in real time, protecting clients from ineffective or harmful treatments.
What is Kazdin’s central closing message about single-case designs?
They are powerful tools for evaluating interventions, understanding individuals, and should complement other methodologies.
