Single Subject Designs
BaselineA
InterventionB
AB Design
Basic single-subject design.
Primary advantage of the AB design is simplicity. It provides the teacher with a quick uncomplicated means of comparing students’ behavior before and after an intervention.
Primary disadvantage is that it cannot be used to make a confident assumption of a functional relationship. The AB design is vulnerable to confounding variables.
BaselineA
InterventionB
Multiple Baseline Design
Permits simultaneous analysis of more than one dependent variable.
May be used:
•Across Behaviors•Two or more behaviors associated with one student in a sable setting
•Across Individuals•Two or more students exhibiting the same behavior in a single setting
•Across Settings•Two or more settings in which one student is exhibiting the same behavior
BaselineA
InterventionB
BaselineA
InterventionB
Multiple Baseline Design
Functional Relationship Non Functional RelationshipBaseline
AIntervention
BBaseline
AIntervention
B
BaselineA
InterventionB
BaselineA
InterventionB
Multiple Baseline DesignBaseline Token Economy Maintenance
Tal
k O
uts
Out
of
Sea
tP
oor
Pos
ture
Across Behaviors
Across IndividualsBaseline Self-Monitoring Maintenance
Soc
ial I
nitia
tions
Dur
ing
Lunc
h,R
eces
s, a
nd F
ree
Tim
e
Roy
Tommy
BaselineA
BaselineA
InterventionB
InterventionB
BaselineA
BaselineA
InterventionB
InterventionBReversal – ABAB - Design
Used to analyze the effectiveness of a single independent variable. Involves the sequential application and withdrawal of an intervention to verify the intervention’s effect on a behavior.
Primary advantage of the ABAB design is the ability to ascertain a functional relationship between the intervention and behavior change
Primary disadvantage is that treatment must be stopped.
ABAB should not be used when:
•The behavior is dangerous•When the target behavior is not reversible because it is associated with learning.
Number ofCorrect Responses
Session
BaselineA
Goal = 4B
Goal = 6C
Goal = 8D
Goal = 10E
Changing Criteria Design: ABCD….Used to evaluate the effectiveness of an independent variable by demonstrating that a behavior can beIncrementally changed over time.
This design is especially appropriate to use when the terminal objective is considerably distant from thestudent’s baseline performance level. In addition, this design is well suited for measuring the effectivenessof a shaping procedure.
Alternating Treatment Design
Allows comparison of the effectiveness of more than one treatment or intervention strategy on a single dependent variable.
Baseline ReinforcementReinforcement +
Time-out
Rei
nfor
cem
ent Reinforcement +
Time-out
A B C B C
Changing Conditions Design: ABCBC
Pe
rce
nt
of
Dis
rup
tive
Be
ha
vio
r
Research Design
A-BA-B-A
A-B-C-AChanging Criteria
A-B design
A-B-A design
A-B-C-A design
Changing Criteria design
Graph Interpretation
Common Data Patterns
LEVEL
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05
101520253035
M T W R F M T W R F M T W R F
DAY
Nu
mb
er o
f R
efu
sals
SLOPE
Number of Refusals: Jimmy Jones9:00 AM - 3:00 P.M.
05
101520253035
M T W R F M T W R F M T W R F
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Nu
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sals
A B A
Abrupt Change in Level
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
pre
post
A B
Delayed Change in Level
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pre
post
A B
Temporary Change in Level
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
A B
Decaying Change in Level
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A B
Abrupt Change in Slope
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A B
Delayed Change in Slope
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A B
Temporary Change in Slope
0
5
10
15
20
25
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
A B
Accelerated Change in Slope
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Change in Variability
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 1
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 5
0102030405060708090
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
A B
Pattern 6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
M T W R F M T W R F M T W R F
A B A
Using Excel to Draw Graphs
A Baseline GraphA-B Two Phase Graph
ABA Three Phase GraphABAC Four Phase Graph
Baseline Graph (A)
Step 1.
a.Use “Home” tab
b.Enter Data for the Baseline Phase
Step 2.
a. Highlight Data Fields
b. Click on “Insert” tab
c. Click on “Line”
d. Click on picture of Line Graph
Step 3.
a. Click on “Layout” tab
b. Click on “Chart Title”
c. Click on “Above Chart”
d. Type Title of Graph
Step 4.
a. Click on “Layout” tab
b. Click on “Axis Titles”
c. Click on “Primary Horizontal Axis Title”
d. Click on “Title Below Axis”
e. Type X-axis Title
Step 5.
a. Click on “Layout” tab
b. Click on “Axis Titles”
c. Click on “Primary Vertical Axis Title”
d. Click on “Rotate Title”
e. Type Y-axis Title
Two Phase GraphA-B
Step 1.
a.Continue from previous graph instructions
b.Use “Home” tab
c.Click in a blank area of existing graph picture
d.Graph data will get a border around it
Step 2.
a.Click on bottom right of bordered area and stretch to include area needed for additional data
b.Type in additional data
Three Phase GraphA-B-A
Step 1.
a.Do same as for A-B graph: click on graph, stretch outline, add additional data
Three Phase GraphA-B-A-C
Step 1.
a.Do same as for A-B-A graph: click on graph, stretch outline, add additional data
Practice Graph #1Time = Continuous School DaysBehavior = Number of Errors on Daily Math TestBaseline = No InterventionIntervention = Mental Rehearsal Prior to Taking Test
DATA:Day # Errors Phase
1 9 Baseline2 12 Baseline3 11 Baseline4 13 Baseline5 10 Baseline6 9 Intervention7 4 Intervention8 3 Intervention9 2 Intervention10 4 Intervention11 7 Baseline12 8 Baseline13 10 Baseline 14 9 Baseline
Practice Graph #2Time = Continuous School DaysBehavior = Number of Errors on Daily Math TestBaseline = No InterventionIntervention 1 = Mental Rehearsal Prior to Taking TestIntervention 2 = Write Each Spelling Word 10 Times Prior to TestDATA:Day # Errors Phase
1 9 Baseline2 12 Baseline3 11 Baseline4 13 Baseline5 10 Baseline6 9 Intervention 17 4 Intervention 18 3 Intervention 19 2 Intervention 110 8 Intervention 211 7 Intervention 212 6 Intervention 213 5 Intervention 214 11 Baseline15 12 Baseline16 14 Baseline