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The article presents a study which investigates the use of robotic therapy combined with botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injections as a clinical tool for improving the upper-limb coordination and quality of motor performance in children with cerebral palsy. It presents a single-case study to examine the combined effects of novel robotic therapy and BTX-A injections in an 8½-year-old girl with moderate motor impairments related to hemiplegic cerebral palsy. It states that after the clinical measures which include Modified Ashworth Scale, Quality of Upper Extremity Skill Test, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment, improvements in upper-limb coordination and quality motor performance were apparent throughout the robotic therapy trial.

Scholars in the field of special education put forth a series of papers that proposed quality indicators for specific research designs that must be present for a study to be considered of high quality, as well as standards for evaluating a body of research to determine whether a practice is evidence-based. The purpose of this article was to pilot test the quality indicators proposed for single-subject research studies in order to identify points that may need clarification or revision. To do this, we examined the extent to which the proposed quality indicators were present in two single-subject studies, both examining the effects of teacher praise on specific behaviors of school-age children. Our application of the quality indicators indicated that neither study met the minimal acceptable criteria for single-subject research. We discuss the use of the quality indicators in relation to their clarity and applicability and suggest points for deliberation as the field moves forward in establishing evidence-based practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in the field of special education often incorporates single-subject designs to investigate the effectiveness of educational practices for students with disabilities. As such, it is important that educators and educational professionals understand the characteristics of single-subject research methodologies and how those characteristics allow conclusions to be drawn about effectiveness of practices. Because conclusions about whether an intervention causes changes in student outcomes can be derived from single-subject research, it has much to offer to discussion of evidence-based practice and the ultimate identification of evidence-based practices for students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study intended to examine the role of endpoints and of closures, the two most frequently referred to features, in a feature-search paradigm. Two experiments were conducted with a rigorous stimulus control using random lined figures of different levels of complexity. The experiments gave almost identical results: there was no search asymmetry between the two features, smaller latencies were obtained in the presence of a feature as a target rather than in its absence, and the latencies were smaller for the displays having a background consisting of closures rather than for those having a background of endpoints. The results were more comprehensively explained by the high contrast between an endpoint as a target and closures as a background, rather than the conspicuity of an endpoint as a target. The possibility for closures to group into a homogeneous ground was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rating scales that assess methodological quality of clinical trials provide a means to critically appraise the literature. Scales are currently available to rate randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, but there are none that assess single-subject designs. The Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) Scale was developed for this purpose and evaluated for reliability. Six clinical researchers who were trained and experienced in rating methodological quality of clinical trials developed the scale and participated in reliability studies. The SCED Scale is an 11-item rating scale for single-subject designs, of which 10 items are used to assess methodological quality and use of statistical analysis. The scale was developed and refined over a 3-year period. Content validity was addressed by identifying items to reduce the main sources of bias in single-case methodology as stipulated by authorities in the field, which were empirically tested against 85 published reports. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using a random sample of 20/312 single-subject reports archived in the Psychological Database of Brain Impairment Treatment Efficacy (PsycBITETM). Inter-rater reliability for the total score was excellent, both for individual raters (overall ICC = 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.92) and for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (overall ICC = 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.95). Item reliability was fair to excellent for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (range k = 0.48 to 1.00). The results were replicated with two independent novice raters who were trained in the use of the scale (ICC = 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.95). The SCED Scale thus provides a brief and valid evaluation of methodological quality of single-subject designs, with the total score demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability using both individual and consensus ratings. Items from the scale can also be used as a checklist in the design, reporting and critical appraisal of single-subject designs, thereby assisting to improve standards of single-case methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The use of single-case designs in intervention research is discussed. Regression methods for analyzing data from these designs are considered, and an innovative use of logistic regression to analyze data from a double-blind, randomized clinical trial of propranolol for agitation among persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is used. Method: Double-blind, randomized clinical trial performed in an outpatient rehabilitation setting. Participants: Nine men and 4 women with TBI. Results: Logistic models indicated that propranolol was not associated with less agitation for most participants (Φ = .135; 90% exact confidence interval was -.03 < .135 < .29). Four participants displayed a significant response to propanolol. Two participants demonstrated significant improvement, and the other 2 experienced significantly more agitation in the treatment phase. Summary: Advanced regression methods can be used to analyze data from single-case designs to obtain information of clinical and statistical significance from a variety of psychological and medical treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent years have seen a growing number of dysgraphia therapy studies informed by models of the normal writing mechanism (see Beeson & Rapcsak, 2002, for review). Although outcomes from these studies have been encouraging, measures are often confined to clinical tests, leaving it unclear whether everyday writing activities have benefited. This study similarly applied a processing model but was driven from the outset by the everyday writing goal of the aphasic participant. Aims: The study aimed to explore whether therapy could improve the note-taking abilities of an aphasic individual. Evaluations aimed to determine whether gains reflected improvements to the writing mechanism and/or the application of writing strategies. Methods & Procedures: This is a single-case therapy study of "Ray", an individual with chronic aphasia and dysgraphia. Ray's priority for therapy was writing, with the goal of improving his note-taking abilities for work. Ray's dysgraphia seemed due to a buffer-level impairment, with length effects and errors of letter deletion, addition, transposition, and substitution. Therapy involved spelling practice and work on writing strategies. The outcome measures showed improvements both in note taking and in writing to dictation. Conclusions: The results suggested that therapy reduced the effects of Ray's buffer impairment and improved his use of writing strategies. The study demonstrates how model-based thinking can be integrated with a functional approach in intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement toward evidence-based treatments, interventions, or practices pressures single case research (SCR) to use statistical summaries which have broad credibility. These summaries also need to be easily understood and useful in schools and clinics. To date the effect size families, “proportion of variance” (R 2, Eta2) and “standardized mean difference” (Cohen''s d, Hedges'' g) have little popularity in SCR. This paper demonstrates a set of alternative Clinical Outcome indices widely used in the field of medicine: Risk Difference, Relative Risk, Relative Risk Improvement, and Odds Ratio, which compare patients in treatment versus control conditions. Translated to SCR designs, the baseline phase becomes the control condition, the intervention phase becomes the treatment condition, and improvement is defined as non-overlapping data between phases. The positive attributes of Clinical Outcomes are demonstrated: (a) easily interpretable results, (b) close relationship with concept of non-overlapping data, (c) minimal data assumptions, (d) minimal statistical expertise required, (e) multiple contrasts possible for diagnostic understanding, (f) exact confidence intervals for results, and (g) close relationship to Pearson R effect size family. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on three methods of inquiry for physical therapists and occupational therapists. The case report is a means to provide an account of a patient with an unusual condition, or the response to an innovative intervention. The case study involves comprehensive, systematic and in-depth data collection and analysis to understand the exact scenario of the case. The single subject design is characterized by repeated measurement of the results during baseline and intervention phases.

This article takes a further look at the percentage of data points exceeding the median (PEM) analysis method for single-case research data, first presented in this journal by Hsen-Hsing Ma. Ma examined the relationship between PEM and the established percentage of nonoverlapping data (PND) and then applied PEM in a meta-analysis of 61 data sets, correlating their authors' judgments of intervention effectiveness with PEM. The present article covers PEM's historical and statistical context and then applies the new measure in a field test with 165 contrasts between a baseline phase A and a treatment phase B. For comparison, Pearson r, Kruskal-Wallis W, PND, and IRD (improvement rate difference) indices also are calculated and correlated with PEM, and all distributions are examined. Expert visual analysis ratings of the 165 graphs are correlated with all indices. PEM surpassed PND in its validation by other established measures. However, PEM was weaker in distribution shape and visual judgment validation. More strongly validated than either PEM or PND was the new nonparametric measure, IRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental research involves comparing two or more conditions. One of those conditions in single subject research is often the baseline. Adequate description of the baseline conditions is necessary for evaluating the effects of independent variables, drawing generalizations from studies, and providing information for subsequent replication studies. Suggestions are made about the types of information to include when describing baseline conditions in research reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphs are vital components for analyzing data in the experimental analysis of behavior using single subject research methods. This paper extends the previous literature on the construction of single subject graphs by providing instructions for using Microsoft® Power Point™ and Microsoft® PowerPoint for Mac®, and describes improved reporting practices for visual presentation of single subject experimental data. Detailed instructions are provided for constructing line graphs for displaying single subject data, specialized graphs (i.e., semi-logarithmic, dual ordinate, and line and bar combination graphs), and electronically submitting graphs to journals for publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating single-subject (SS) graphs is challenging for many researchers and practitioners because it is a complex task with many steps. Although several authors have introduced guidelines for creating SS graphs, many users continue to experience frustration. The purpose of this article is to minimize these frustrations by providing a field-tested task analysis for creating SS graphs using Microsoft® Office Excel. Results from the field test are presented and the task analysis, which includes steps for creating a variety of SS graphs, is provided. The article includes various illustrations, a list of prerequisite skills, tips, and troubleshooting items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct observation of behaviors is a data collection method customarily used in clinical and educational settings. Repeated measures and small samples are inherent characteristics of observational studies that pose challenges to the numerical estimation of reliability for observational data. In this article, we review some debates about the use of Generalizability Theory in estimating reliability of single-subject observational data. We propose that it could be used but under a clearly stated set of conditions. The conceptualization of facets and object of measurement for a common design of observational research is elucidated under a different light. We provide two numerical examples to illustrate the ideas. Limitations of using Generalizability Theory to estimate reliability of observational data are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 433–439, 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-case research designs are often applied within school psychology. This article provides a critical review of the scientific merit of both concurrent and nonconcurrent multiple baseline (MB) designs, relative to their capacity to assess threats of internal validity and establish experimental control. Distinctions are established between AB replications and nonconcurrent multiple baseline designed studies using the initial conception proposed by P.J. Watson and E.A. Workman (1981). Despite some previously pessimistic evaluations of nonconcurrent multiple baseline designs, the findings of this review suggest that various threats of internal validity can be assessed and ruled out using either concurrent or nonconcurrent MB designs. It seems that nonconcurrent designs can be used to assess the intervening effects of history, but might be more prone to threats of mortality. These and other threats of internal validity are reviewed and recommendations are provided. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 451–459, 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based practice approaches to interventions has come of age and promises to provide a new standard of excellence for school psychologists. This article describes several definitions of evidence-based practice and the problems associated with traditional statistical analyses that rely on rejection of the null hypothesis for the establishment of invention effectiveness. Meta-analysis as an approach to ascertain EBPs is reviewed along with the inherent difficulties associated with single subject design research such as autocorrelations. Four meta-analytic approaches are reviewed which include Percentage of Nonoverlapping Data points (PND), the Busk and Serlin: Assumption models, ITSACORR, and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). HLM is offered as the most promising approach for the analysis for single subject designs. Monte Carlo simulations are modeled with varying degrees of autocorrelations, differing numbers of data points, and simulated effects sizes to show that HLM is an acceptable approach for controlling the risk of Type I errors. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 483–493, 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary objective: To investigate the use of a 'reminders' function on a mobile phone as a compensatory memory aid for five individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Research design: A series of five single case ABAB reversal design. Methods and procedure: A mobile phone was given to each participant during two intervention phases. Target behaviours were recorded for the length of the study. Experimental intervention: The phone was programmed to prompt a number of identified target behaviours. Main outcomes and results: For two participants, there was an increase in the target behaviours achieved when the phone was used, with percentages rising from 51% to 95% for Participant 1 (P1) and 58% to 88% for Participant 5 (P5). The percentage of target behaviours achieved did not return to initial baseline levels when the phone was removed, indicating that the intervention may have facilitated P1 and, in particular, P5 in the learning of their routines. The participants who did not benefit from the mobile phone differed from P1 and P5 as they fell in the category of 'severe memory impairment' on the RBMT, were significantly impaired on an assessment of executive functioning (Tower Test) and required 24-hour care. Conclusions: The preliminary investigation with five participants suggests that this system may be of best use with individuals who do not require 24-hour care and do not experience severe memory and executive functioning difficulties. However, further research with a larger sample is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An obstacle to broader acceptability of effect sizes in single case research is their lack of intuitive and useful interpretations. Interpreting Cohen's d as "standard deviation units difference" and R⊃2 as "percent of variance accounted for" do not resound with most visual analysts. In fact, the only comparative analysis widely supported in single case research (SCR) is "percent of nonoverlapping data." This article explores five alternative interpretations of Cohen's d and R⊃2 effect sizes that may be more acceptable to the SCR field. They are: (a) Cohen's (Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum) "Percent of Nonovedapping Data" (CPND), (b) Parker et al.'s (Parker, R.I., Cryer, J., Byrns, G., 2006. Controlling trend in single case research. School Psychology Quarterly, 21, 418-440, Parker, R.I., Hagan-Burke, S., Vannest, K., in press. Percent of all non-overlapping data (PAND): An alternative to PND. Journal of Special Education) "Percent of All Nonoverlapping Data" (PAND), (c) Rosenthal et al. (Rosenthal, R., Rosnow, R., & Rubin, D. (2000). Contrasts and effect sizes in behavioral research: A correlational approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.) "Binomial Effect Size Display" (BESD), (d) "Percentile Rank in Control Group" (PR), and (e) McGraw and Wong's (McGraw, K. O., & Wong, S. P. (1992). A common language effect-size statistic. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 361-365) "Common Language Effect Size" (CLES). Each of the five interpretation schemes are applied to a published data set and are evaluated according to (a) intuitive appeal, (b) relevance to visual analysis, (c) ease of calculation, and (d) technical adequacy. Three of the five appear to be improvements over prevailing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good quantitative evidence does not require large, aggregate group designs. The authors describe ground-breaking work in managing the conceptual and practical demands in developing meta-analytic strategies for single subject designs in an effort to add to evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mandate for evidence-based practice has prompted careful consideration of the weight of the scientific evidence regarding the therapeutic value of various clinical treatments. In the field of aphasia, a large number of single-subject research studies have been conducted, providing clinical outcome data that are potentially useful for clinicians and researchers; however, it has been difficult to discern the relative potency of these treatments in a standardized manner. In this paper we describe an approach to quantify treatment outcomes for single-subject research studies using effect sizes. These values provide a means to compare treatment outcomes within and between individuals, as well as to compare the relative strength of various treatments. Effect sizes also can be aggregated in order to conduct meta-analyses of specific treatment approaches. Consideration is given to optimizing research designs and providing adequate data so that the value of treatment research is maximized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore the conditions under which generalisation from single case studies, in the sense of making inferences concerning a wider class of phenomena beyond a case, is reasonable. Two sets of conditions, in particular, provide the basis for our consideration of this issue. The first is an exploration of the impressive amount of empirical knowledge that is contained within the theories that are used to make observations, to classify phenomena, and to understand and interpret cases. The second is recognition of the role of a pattern of inference known as abduction, or inference to the best explanation, in drawing conclusions from case studies. It is argued that these two conditions, when applied to the procedures for conducting case studies, can be used to defend, as reasonable, the making of certain provisional generalisations from single cases. An epistemological procedure for testing and further justifying these generalisations, with a particular emphasis on dealing with the problem of confirmation bias, is then discussed and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance placed on completion of extra-session homework in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a review of the available literature suggests there is much about the nature of homework compliance that remains to be empirically evaluated. This is especially true among youth receiving CBT. The present study begins to address how best to measure homework compliance and offers a fine-grained, single-case analysis of homework compliance during acute treatment with depressed adolescents. The results demonstrate that 56% of homework assignments were completed. Also observed was substantial within-subject temporal variability in homework compliance and a tendency for compliance to decrease during the course of treatment. These data call into question the adequacy of any static aggregate measure of homework compliance and have implications for both researchers and clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study is twofold: (a) to compare the validation of percentage of nonoverlapping data approach and percentage of data points exceeding the median of baseline phase (PEM) approach, and (b) to demonstrate application of the PEM approach in conducting a quantitative synthesis of single-subject research investigating the effectiveness of self-control. The results show that the PEM had higher Spearman correlation with original authors' judgment than PND did. The results of applying the PEM approach to synthesize the effect of self-control training on academic and social behavior showed that the treatment was highly or at least moderately effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored some practical issues for single-case researchers who rely on visual analysis of graphed data, but who also may consider supplemental use of promising statistical analysis techniques. The study sought to answer three major questions: (a) What is a typical range of effect sizes from these analytic techniques for data from ‘effective interventions’? (b) How closely do results from these same analytic techniques concur with visual-analysis-based judgments of effective interventions? and (c) What role does autocorrelation play in interpretation of these analytic results? To answer these questions, five analytic techniques were compared with the judgments of 45 doctoral students and faculty, who rated intervention effectiveness from visual analysis of 35 fabricated AB design graphs. Implications for researchers and practitioners using single-case designs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical practice and research are generally taught separately in Master of Social Work programs by faculty with distinct areas of expertise. This paper discusses the teaching of single-subject design research methodology by clinical faculty, in the clinical practice class. Examples from student papers demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating this methodology into the clinical practice curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article describes the single-case experimental design used in veterinary medicine. Single case designs are used to assess a subject matter over a time period. The aim of the baseline phase in a single-case study design is to obtain a reference for comparison with the effect of intervention. Single-case design also includes the selection of measurement intervals and the display of data.

Aggressive behaviors are among the most ostracizing types of comportment observed across the educational spectrum. Aggressive behaviors may isolate the aggressor socially, academically, and educationally. The following study utilizes functional behavior assessment and single subject research methodology to assess and address aggressive behaviors in a student with a severe intellectual disability. Visual interventions were utilized as a component of a positive behavioral support system to reduce aggressive behaviors. Behavioral improvement was measured. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents a response by Ralph W. Schlosser to a review of his book on meta-analysis of single-subject research, published in the "International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders."

This study investigated the functional relationship between student accurate response levels and two mathematics drill procedures using a BCBC across participant's single case research design (in this case, “B” represents peer drill and “C” represents computer drill). Each of four elementary school students was randomly assigned to one of two dyads and presented addition flashcards under a computerized drill condition and a peer-mediated drill condition. In both conditions, students were drilled for 3 minutes on addition facts with immediate feedback (i.e., “Correct” or “Not correct”). Results suggested that the two somewhat older students showed higher levels of accurate responding in the computer condition, while the two younger students showed higher levels of accurate responding in the peer-tutoring condition. Discussion focuses on potential hypotheses for performance discrepancies across dyads, importance of matching instructional conditions with idiosyncratic variables, and implications for practice and future research. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 637–646, 2005. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single case studies are a valuable means of providing information about the outcomes of speech and language intervention. Many previous studies have used phonological analysis as a theoretical basis, while others have used psycholinguistic models. The present study combines these approaches to assessment, intervention and evaluation of outcomes. Aims: The aim of the research was to determine if intensive psycholinguistically based intervention could result in (a) specific and (b) generalized improvements in the speech production of a child with severe and persisting phonological difficulties. Methods and Procedures: A single subject research design was used with pre- and post-intervention assessment carried out. Assessment took place at two levels: the macro level focused on global change in the child's speech processing system using psycholinguistic speech profiling and phonological analyses; the micro assessment focused on specific, treated (and matched control) stimuli. There were three phases of intervention with a total of 30 hours of therapy. Outcomes and Results: Micro evaluation showed significant changes in Katy's single word and connected speech production – as well as in other areas such as spelling and auditory discrimination of closely related real word pairs. Macro evaluation revealed significant improvement in speech severity indices (PCC, PPC), and gains in her ability to discriminate between closely related real word pairs. These changes were maintained at follow-up seven months after intervention had ceased. Conclusions: Specific and intensive intervention brought about significant improvements in this child's speech, spelling and auditory discrimination at the micro level, and in speech and auditory discrimination at a macro level. The macro level assessments reveal persisting core deficits requiring further focused intervention before changes can be observed more widely. When carefully defined and evaluated, speech and language intervention can have positive outcomes for children with severe and persisting speech difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-case design with the randomization test (RT) has been proposed as an alternative to the binomial distribution (BD) tables of Thornton and Raffin (1978) to assess changes in speech recognition performance in individual subjects. The present study investigated whether data analyzed using both approaches would result in similar outcomes. Sixty-two adults with normal hearing were evaluated using phoneme scoring and a restricted alternating treatments design under two signal-to-noise conditions. Results revealed a significant correlation between the RT and a BD analysis using at least 50-word lists, although the BD analysis was a more sensitive measure. The absence of correlation between the RT with a BD analysis using 25-word lists challenges the common clinical practice of using reduced list size, and supports the use of phoneme scoring and other attempts to find clinically acceptable yet evidence-based solutions to overcome the conflict between time and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the increasing popularity of single-case experimental designs. These are acceptable ways to conduct classroom-based research. Single-case designs can also be beneficial when conducting literacy research. Single-case, or single-subject, experimental research design can personalize the data collection process because data is collected on each subject, or participant, and is individually analyzed. The term single subject is not used because there is only one participant; rather, it refers to the procedure for data collection and the focus of the study as opposed to the number of participants.

Explores the importance of single case reports. Reasons why a single case report is needed; Origin of psychoanalytic theory; Contribution of Hannu Lauerma and Kimmo Hypen to the Ganser syndromeliterature.

It is postulated that neural tissue mechanosensitivity contributes to symptoms associated with peripheral neurogenic pain disorders. However, there is a paucity of literature regarding the most effective clinical practices for managing pain of peripheral neurogenic origin. As clinical use of neural mobilization continues to flourish in the management of these pain syndromes, it is imperative to document outcomes associated with these techniques. The purpose of this single- case A1-B1-A2-B2 design was to investigate the effectiveness of neural mobilization in the management of a 29-year-old female patient with symptoms suggestive of peripheral neurogenic involvement. The intervention phases (B1 and B2) consisted of neural mobilizations specifically directed at the sciatic continuum. Outcome measures (degrees of hip flexion during the straight- leg-raise and pain) demonstrated both visual improvement and statistically significant improvements following implementation of the neural mobilization techniques. This single-case design provides a measure of scientific support for the use of neural mobilizations with patients presenting with lower extremity neurogenic pain disorders. However, generalizability is poor, and further methodologically sound clinical trials are necessary to investigate the effectiveness of neural mobilization in a larger patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work practitioners have historically been viewed as those who use not only scientific orientation for case work but also the results of research studies for clinical decision making. Dominant conceptions of evidence-based practice emphasize the social worker as a user of scientific findings, with only a minor role given to the social worker as a scientifically oriented practitioner. Problems with this emphasis include a limited base of validated interventions for social work practice, overestimations and shortfalls in the effectiveness of such interventions, and unresolved issues in transporting research findings to actual work with clients. Evidence-based practice could be strengthened by broadening the notion of evidence to include data obtained by practitioners in the application of research-supported interventions—data that might indicate, for example, whether the intervention (or one of its modifications) worked or needed to be changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined and compared the performances of statistical techniques for analyzing between-phase differences in single-case research designs. Effect size in single-case analysis; Method; Results and discussion.

This single-case study uses conversation analysis (CA) to investigate some of the interactional difficulties faced by children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Through an analysis of a single telephone conversation between an 8-year-old AS child and an adult and a peer, it shows the level of interactional complexity required in managing talk. It argues that although the AS child is, on one level, successful in phoning her friend to ask a question, the success of the interaction relies in part on the other interactants and their willingness to accommodate her different conversational norms. The study demonstrates how CA can be a useful tool for understanding some of the interactional difficulties faced by AS children and adults alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the efforts that a family service agency undertook to develop a workable evaluation program as part of a United Way demonstration project. Integrating basic elements from single subject design and goal attainment scaling with program logic modeling, a simple system for collecting and compiling data on clinical outcomes was created that could provide feedback on the progress of individual cases to workers, and agency wide improvement rates to clinic administrators and funding agencies. The model that evolved is manageable because it is simple, was developed by the clinical staff, serves a clinical purpose, meets the expectations of funding sources, and actively engages clients, workers and supervisors in an ongoing process of monitoring progress. Sample forms used to gather data are presented along with the results and next steps for the evaluation process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The single subject trial is a randomized controlled trial carried out in the individual patient, and the result obtained is specific to the individual patient and the drug being investigated. This type of trial offers a supplement to traditional parallel group trials, especially in patients with heterogeneous disorders, often characterized by varying treatment responses and/or high placebo response rates. Pooled results from several individual single subject trials could extend the conclusions beyond the individual patient, and help to characterize a subset of responders to a specific treatment or clarify the heterogeneity of the disease. The basic principles of the different single subject trial designs are described. Advantages and limitations are reviewed with a special focus on published trials in functional gastrointestinal disorders. The single subject trial may be a valuable supplement to traditional drug treatment trials, either used as isolated trials in individual patients to determine optimal therapy, or in groups of patients to identify those with a uniform response to treatment. However, the lack of validation and reliability studies limits the value of the single subject trials presented so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual procedures are the most commonly used in the analysis of single case design data. However, a number of problems with visual analysis methods have been identified in previous research, and research and development on visual analysis methods has been recommended. If single case design methods are to be used, as once hoped, by social work practitioners, then visual analysis methods should be easy and quick to use as Well as methodologically defensible. This article presents visual analysis methods for use by social work practitioners. First, there is a presentation of a method for representing trend. Next there is a presentation of methods for representing variability, background variability, and overlap and discussion of their use in the visual analysis of single case data. Finally, there are two illustrative data analyses in which these methods are used. The mathematical and statistical bases for these methods are provided in two appendices. The methods presented are quick and easy to use and require nothing more than a pencil or pen and a straight edge for use by practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies comparing groups of subjects have indicated differential probabilities of stimulus equivalence outcome as a function of training structure. Both one-to-many (OTM) and many-to-one (MTO) training structures seem to produce stimulus equivalence more often than a linear series training structure. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether or not corresponding differential probabilities of equivalence outcome as a function of training structure can be demonstrated in the performances of single subjects. In Experiment 1, equivalence outcome was tested successively following training according to each of the three training structures. All subjects responded in accord with equivalence following the OTM training structure independent of the training order, except for 1 subject who did not respond in accord with equivalence following neither of the three training structures. Furthermore, 2 subjects demonstrated individual success following both one-to-many and many-to-one training even when they did not demonstrate success following linear series training, while the reverse never happened. In Experiment 2, equivalence outcome was tested successively following training according to a many-to-one and a one-to-many training structure with both 2 and 3 classes of stimuli. The results showed that all subjects responded in accord with equivalence following the OTM training structure, while 2 subjects did not respond in accord with equivalence following the MTO training structure. In Experiment 3, equivalence outcome was tested successively following training according to a many-to-one training structure and one-to-many training structure with both 3 and 4 members in each class. In accord with the results of Arntzen and Holth (1997) the present results indicated a superiority of the one-to-many over alternative training structures as regards the probability of an equivalence outcome. There was no difference in the probability of an equivalence o... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes a step-by-step plan in mentoring students in the development of a research journal manuscript. Limitations of the proposed process; Role of teachers in guiding students in research projects; Benefits of the process for students and teachers.

Because single-subject design methodology is the cornerstone of behavior-analytic research, behavior analysts are often engaged in the practice of graph production. There are a variety of computer software packages on the market that can be used to create graphs; however, not all of them are suitable for producing single-subject design line graphs. Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows 95/NT and MacOS operating systems contains a variety of features that are conducive to producing reversal, multiple baseline, and multielement graphs (among others) that conform to many of the technical recommendations for publication in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. We present detailed instructions on creating these graphs using Microsoft Excel. DESCRIPTORS: graph presentation, computers, single-subject design, software