ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the experimental methods used by applied behavior analysts to evaluate the effects of interventions on target behaviors. Applied behavior analysts use several different types of single-case designs. Single-case research designs are used to examine whether treatment applications actually cause the desired change in the target behavior. In other words, experimental techniques examine the functional relationships between changes in the environment and changes in the target behavior. Despite the variety of single-case designs, they are all based on the same set of fundamental premises and techniques. Alternating treatment designs allow for the comparative assessment of various treatments or contingencies within one experimental phase. The alternating treatment design produces relatively rapid results and does not invoke ethical concerns regarding extended baseline assessments for behaviors such as self-injury or aggression. The applied behavior analyst must find an appropriate balance between the need for experimental control and the constraints of the applied setting.
