The Assessment of Consistency in Single-Case Experiments: Beyond A-B-A-B Designs

Behav Modif. 2021 Jul;45(4):560-580. doi: 10.1177/0145445519882889. Epub 2019 Oct 16.

Abstract

Quality standards for single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) recommend inspecting six data aspects: level, trend, variability, overlap, immediacy, and consistency of data patterns. The data aspect consistency has long been neglected by visual and statistical analysts of SCEDs despite its importance for inferring a causal relationship. However, recently a first quantification has been proposed in the context of A-B-A-B designs, called CONsistency of DAta Patterns (CONDAP). In the current paper, we extend the existing CONDAP measure for assessing consistency in designs with more than two successive A-B elements (e.g., A-B-A-B-A-B), multiple baseline designs, and changing criterion designs. We illustrate each quantification with published research.

Keywords: changing criterion design; consistency; effect sizes; multiple baseline design; single-case experimental designs; statistical analysis; visual analysis.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Research Design*