Examining and Enhancing the Methodological Quality of Nonconcurrent Multiple-Baseline Designs

Thomas R Kratochwill; Joel R Levin; Kristi L Morin; Esther R Lindström

doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00341-2

Examining and Enhancing the Methodological Quality of Nonconcurrent Multiple-Baseline Designs

Perspect Behav Sci. 2022 Jun 3;45(3):651-660. doi: 10.1007/s40614-022-00341-2. eCollection 2022 Sep.

Authors

Thomas R Kratochwill¹, Joel R Levin², Kristi L Morin³, Esther R Lindström³

Affiliations

¹ Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1025 West Johnson Street, Suite 785, Madison, WI 53706 USA.
² College of Education, University of Arizona, 1430 E. Second Street, P.O. Box 210069, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA.
³ College of Education, Lehigh University, 111 Research Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA.

Abstract

In this article we respond to the recent recommendation of Slocum et al. (2022), who provided conceptual and methodological recommendations for reconsidering the credibility and validity of the nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design. We build on these recommendations and offer replication and randomization upgrades that should further improve the status of the nonconcurrent version of the design in standards and single-case design research. Although we suggest that the nonconcurrent version should be an acceptable methodological option for single-case design researchers, the traditional concurrent multiple-baseline design should generally be the design of choice.

Keywords: Multiple baseline design; Nonconcurrent multiple baseline design; Randomization; Replication.