SPCD 619 Week 2

1. From where did single-case research emerge? What is the logic behind SCDs?What is high quality research? What are the quality indicators for SCDs? SPCD 619 Week 2

2. Foundations of Single-case Design Biology Psychology Applied Behavior Analysis Single-Case Design Medicine

3. Pavlov: Respondent (classical) Conditioning Food (UCS) paired with CS (tone) = Salivation (Response) Tone (CS) = Salivation (Response)

4. John Watson & Lil’ Albert

5. History of Applied Behavior Analysis • 1930s to today • Experimental analysis of behavior • B.F. Skinner • Mid-1950s to 1960s • Laboratory with children and adults • Don Baer, Sidney Bijou, Allyon & Michael • 1960s to present • “Real world” applications, including educational settings • Broad application

6. Another Pioneer: Dr. Brian Iwata Functional Analysis of behavior

7. Applied Behavior Analysis “systematic application of behavioral principles to change socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree”(p. 531, Alberto & Troutman, 2003) Use of these principles allows us to establish a functional relationship between a behavior and an intervention.

8. Applied Behavioral Analytic Technological Conceptually systematic Effective Generalizable Characteristics of ABA(Baer, Wolf, & Risley. (1968)

9. Logic/Foundations of Single-Case Research • Focus on causation: • Experimental vs. correlational or descriptive • Pinpoint factors responsible for behavior change • Focus on individual vs. group performance (usually) • Measurement: • Overt (physical) behaviors • Direct observation • Continuous (repeated) measurement • Operationalized definitions of variables • Inductive approach • Social (clinical) significance • Intervention oriented (experimental)

10. Research Questions that can be answered with SCDs • Does the independent variable produce a change in the dependent variable? (demonstration) (evaluating IV effects relative to baseline) • Comparison of effectiveness of one or more IVs (comparison) (does intervention A or B result in a greater increase in social initiations?) • Which component of an IV accounts the change in the DV? (component analysis) • How “much” of an IV is needed to produce a meaningful change in the DV? (parametric)

11. What is high-quality research?Who gets to decide?How does this affect teachers and students?

12. Questions to Consider

13. Quality Indicators for Single-case Research Studies: Description of Participants, Setting(s), & Selection Process • Operational descriptions • Specific, precise language • Allow for replication • Precise descriptions of criteria used to select participants

14. Quality Indicators: Dependent Variables (DV) • DV is an important target for the participants • Operational definitions of each DV Operational Definition • Measures that allow direct observation and empirical summary • Measurement procedures are specifically and clearly defined • DV(s) are measured repeatedly • Assessed IOA for each DV; IOA meets minimum standards

15. Operational Definition • “agreed upon description of observable and measurable characteristics of the motor performance of the behavior . . . Clearly stated so that everyone can agree that is has or has not been performed” (p. 31, Alberto & Troutman). • Includes examples and non-examples of the behavior

16. Example of operationalizing a DV Name: On-task behavior Definition: Orientation of the student toward the appropriate object or person Examples include: following directions given by the teacher, paying attention to the speaker (peer or adult), and working on assigned tasks. Non-examples include: playing Free Cell during independent reading activity on computer; talking about girlfriend during science cooperative learning group; staring out of window during independent seat work

17. Quality Indicators: Independent Variables (IV) • Operational definitions • Explicit descriptions of materials and procedures • Systematic manipulation of IV • Measurement of treatment fidelity (procedural implementation or procedural fidelity)

18. Quality Indicators: Baseline • Precise descriptions • Demonstrates predictable pattern

19. Quality Indicators: Internal Validity • Minimum of three demonstrations of experimental control at three different points in time • Control of threats to internal validity

20. Quality Indicators: External Validity • Utilizes multiple participants, settings, materials, and/or targets (behaviors) • Replication occurs across multiple studies and researchers • Uses operational descriptions

21. Quality Indicators: Social Validity • Target behaviors (DVs) are socially important • Degree of change in DV after intervention is socially significant • Intervention is acceptable to participants and practitioners • Implementation of the intervention is practical and can be used by “typical” practitioners/parents

22. WWC Design Standards: Nine Defining Features of SCD • Experimental Control • Individual is unit of analysis • IV is actively manipulated • DV is measured repeatedly • Baseline • Design controls for threats to internal validity • Use of visual analysis (statistical analysis is emerging) • Systematic replication • Experimental flexibility

23. Next Week • For next week, 2/1/12, read Chapters 3 & 4 in the Gast text. • Find a single-case research study on any topic; bring it to class. Look at how the article is organized and pay special attention to the way in which the research question is framed.