Developing and Using Baseline Measures of Behavior

1. Developing and Using Baseline Measures of Behavior

2. What is a baseline? • The standard against which you measure all subsequent changes implemented by your program. • Usually shown as lines in graph form. • Sometimes called: • reference points • adaptation levels • anchors • norms

3. Why use baseline measures? Baselines can: Show whether your efforts are working Help you make sense about something complicated Help you decide whether to start an intervention Tell you if an intervention isn't necessary

4. Developing a Baseline Pick indicators that best reflect the behaviors that are most important to you Find measurements on those indicators

5. Interpreting baseline changes • Data points fall into a tight range • Best basis for starting

6. Ascending and descending baselines • Ascending: the indicator has increased • Descending: the indicator has decreased

7. Unstable or variable baselines • Data points range all over the place and there are no clear trends • Usually unwise to introduce any sort of intervention, because the variations make it too hard to tell whether changes are a result of the intervention

8. Using baseline data to develop an intervention Decide what problem(s) to address Identify primary targets of the intervention Develop an action plan Begin your intervention