AB Design
An AB design is a basic single-subject research structure that involves only two phases: an initial baseline phase (A) followed by a single treatment phase (B). This methodology functions similarly to an interrupted time-series design applied to a single participant. A significant limitation of the AB design is its susceptibility to confounding variables; if the dependent variable changes following the intervention, it remains unclear whether the treatment or a coincidental extraneous variable caused the change, resulting in lower internal validity compared to reversal designs.
0
1
Tags
KPU
Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
Example of an Interrupted Time-Series Design: Factory Shift Reduction
Example of an Interrupted Time-Series Design: Student Absences
Interrupted Time-Series Design with Nonequivalent Groups
AB Design
Advantage of Interrupted Time-Series Over Pretest-Posttest Designs
Which of the following procedures is the defining characteristic of an interrupted time-series design?
In an interrupted time-series design, researchers rely on a single measurement before and a single measurement after a treatment to distinguish the actual effect of an intervention from normal variation.
A clinical psychologist wants to evaluate the impact of a new mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on patients' anxiety levels using an interrupted time-series design. Arrange the following steps of the study in the correct chronological order.
Researchers using an interrupted time-series design must analyze data patterns to determine the internal validity of an intervention. Match each hypothetical data pattern with the analytical conclusion it most strongly supports.
You are designing a quasi-experimental study to determine if a new 'Mandatory Recess' policy (implemented on October 1st) improves elementary students' focus. To create an interrupted time-series design that distinguishes the policy's effect from the natural 'mid-semester slump' in student engagement, which of the following data collection schedules should you propose?
In an interrupted time-series design, measurements of a dependent variable are taken at regular intervals both before and after the treatment is introduced.
A researcher critiquing a study that relies on a single 'before-and-after' measurement argues that this method is insufficient to judge an intervention's success. To accurately evaluate whether an observed change reflects a genuine intervention effect rather than _____, the researcher recommends using an interrupted time-series design with multiple measurements before and after the treatment.
A team of psychologists wants to choose the correct methodology for different studies. Match each research scenario or description with the most appropriate design term based on the interrupted time-series methodology.
An investigator is analyzing the source of fluctuations in a study on workplace productivity. They note that a simple pretest-posttest design makes it difficult to separate treatment effects from normal variation. To better distinguish the actual effect of the intervention from normal variation, the researcher should use an interrupted time-series design to incorporate _____ measurements of the dependent variable before and after the treatment.
A research methods class is evaluating the validity of a proposed study on student absences. Arrange the steps below in the correct chronological order to properly execute an interrupted time-series design.
Define the interrupted time-series design and explain its structure as a variant of the pretest-posttest design. In your explanation, highlight the specific operational difference between this design and a simple pretest-posttest design, and state the main advantage this difference provides to researchers.
Based on the case context, justify the choice of research design by explaining why the psychologist's decision to collect multiple weekly measurements over a sixteen-week period is superior to using a simple before-and-after measurement. How does this methodology help in understanding the intervention's true impact?
A clinical director wants to apply an interrupted time-series design to evaluate whether a new scheduling app reduces client missed appointments. Write a brief explanation (1-3 sentences) detailing how the director should schedule their measurements of missed appointments relative to the introduction of the app.
Process of Single-Case Designs
Uses of Single-Case Designs
Comparison of Single-Subject and Group Research
Comparison of Single-Subject Research and Case Studies
Intensive Focus on Individuals in Single-Subject Research
Early History of Single-Subject Research
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Theoretical Perspectives in Single-Subject Research
Reversal Design
AB Design
Visual Inspection in Single-Subject Research
Statistical Analysis in Single-Subject Research
Assumptions of Single-Subject Research
Vance Hall's Study on Teacher Attention
Single-Subject Research Designs
Which of the following best characterizes the methodology of single-subject research?
True or False: In single-subject research, the investigator focuses on the behavior of each individual participant as a separate unit of analysis, typically involving between two and ten people in a study.
A psychology researcher is designing a study using a single-subject methodology. Match each specific scenario description below with the core principle of single-subject research it demonstrates.
A researcher is utilizing a single-subject design to analyze whether a specific behavioral intervention causes a reduction in a participant's off-task behavior. To establish experimental control and identify a functional relationship between the intervention and the behavior, arrange the following steps in the correct logical sequence.
A researcher wants to design a quantitative study to test whether a new behavioral intervention reduces the frequency of 'vocal tics' in 3 specific participants. To create a rigorous experiment following the principles of small- design, which of the following protocols should the researcher construct to establish experimental control and demonstrate the intervention's effect on each individual?
True or False: Single-subject research is a qualitative methodology that focuses on subjective experiences rather than utilizing quantitative techniques to analyze objective behavior.
A psychologist reviewing a single-subject (small-) study with only four participants must judge whether the researcher compensated for the absence of a large sample size by applying strict _____ and control over each individual's behavior to ensure scientific rigor.
Match each researcher's study scenario with the corresponding core feature of single-subject research it demonstrates.
A psychologist is analyzing a study that focuses closely on the behavior of four participants. To categorize this methodology, the psychologist notes that since the statistical symbol for sample size is represented by , this type of study is referred to as a small-_____ design.
An editor must evaluate whether a newly submitted manuscript qualifies as a single-subject research design based on its methodological characteristics. Arrange the evaluation steps in the logical order the editor should perform them, from identifying the broad research paradigm to verifying specific design controls.
Learn After
Which of the following best describes the structure and a major limitation of an AB design in single-subject research?
Because an AB design includes an initial baseline phase, researchers can confidently conclude that any change in the dependent variable during the treatment phase is strictly caused by the intervention.
A clinical psychologist investigates the effect of a mindfulness app on a client's stress levels. Match each part of this study to its corresponding role in an AB research design.
A clinical researcher uses an AB design to study the impact of a meditation exercise on a participant's sleep quality. Arrange the following steps in the logical order of analysis required to evaluate whether the meditation exercise caused an improvement in the participant's sleep.
You are tasked with designing a research protocol using an AB design to investigate whether a 'standing desk' increases a student's time spent on-task. Which of the following implementation plans correctly constructs the two phases required for this single-subject study while ensuring the comparison is methodologically sound?
Match each component or characteristic of an AB design with its correct description.
A school psychologist uses an AB design to investigate whether a daily check-in intervention reduces a student's off-task behavior. After three weeks of stable baseline data (A phase), the intervention is introduced for four weeks (B phase), during which off-task behavior drops noticeably. The psychologist concludes that the check-in intervention is the proven cause of the improvement. This conclusion is justified by the AB design.
An AB design is structurally similar to an interrupted time-series design applied to a single participant. When analyzing the results of an AB study, a researcher who observes improvement during the B phase must recognize that the design cannot rule out the role of _____ variables—factors unrelated to the intervention that happened to change around the same time the treatment was introduced.
A research methods instructor asks students to critically evaluate whether the results of an AB design study justify a causal claim. Arrange the following steps in the order a student should complete them to produce a well-reasoned evaluation.
A clinical researcher uses an AB design to evaluate a new mindfulness intervention for a participant's chronic pain. Although the participant reports a significant reduction in pain during the 'B' phase, the researcher must judge the causal evidence as weak because the study's _____ is low due to the design's inability to rule out coincidental extraneous variables.
Explain the structure of an AB design in single-subject research, identify the larger class of research design it is structurally similar to when applied to one participant, and outline the major limitation that impacts its internal validity.
Based on the characteristics of an AB design, explain why the psychologist cannot confidently conclude that the checklist caused the increase in on-task behavior, identifying the specific threat to internal validity present in this scenario.
A clinical researcher wants to use an AB design to evaluate if a new guided breathing exercise reduces a client's daily anxiety ratings. Describe how the researcher should apply this design by detailing what occurs in the baseline phase (A) and the treatment phase (B).