Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives

Two-phase single-case designs, including baseline evaluation followed by an intervention, represent the most clinically straightforward option for combining professional practice and research. However, unless they are part of a multiple-baseline schedule, such designs do not allow demonstrating a ca...

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Main Authors: Rumen eManolov, José Luis eLosada, Salvador eChacón-Moscoso, Susana eSanduvete-Chaves
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2016-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00032/full
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spelling doaj-912f95c6c6f34de18a96608199efe6902020-11-24T22:16:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782016-01-01710.3389/fpsyg.2016.00032173488Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternativesRumen eManolov0José Luis eLosada1Salvador eChacón-Moscoso2Salvador eChacón-Moscoso3Susana eSanduvete-Chaves4Universidad de BarcelonaUniversidad de BarcelonaUniversidad de SevillaUniversidad Autónoma de ChileUniversidad de SevillaTwo-phase single-case designs, including baseline evaluation followed by an intervention, represent the most clinically straightforward option for combining professional practice and research. However, unless they are part of a multiple-baseline schedule, such designs do not allow demonstrating a causal relation between the intervention and the behavior. Although the statistical options reviewed here cannot help overcoming this methodological limitation, we aim to make practitioners and applied researchers aware of the available appropriate options for extracting maximum information from the data. In the current paper, we suggest that the evaluation of behavioral change should include visual and quantitative analyses, complementing the substantive criteria regarding the practical importance of the behavioral change. Specifically, we emphasize the need to use structured criteria for visual analysis, such as the ones summarized in the What Works Clearinghouse Standards, especially if such criteria are complemented by visual aids, as illustrated here. For quantitative analysis, we focus on the Nonoverlap of all pairs and the Slope and level change procedure, as they offer straightforward information and have shown reasonable performance. An illustration is provided of the use of these three pieces of information: visual, quantitative, and substantive. To make the use of visual and quantitative analysis feasible, open source software is referred to and demonstrated. In order to provide practitioners and applied researchers with a more complete guide, several analytical alternatives are commented on pointing out the situations (aims, data patterns) for which these are potentially useful.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00032/fulldata analysisguidelinesSingle-caseMethodological qualitynon-experimental
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Rumen eManolov
José Luis eLosada
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Susana eSanduvete-Chaves
spellingShingle Rumen eManolov
José Luis eLosada
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Susana eSanduvete-Chaves
Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
Frontiers in Psychology
data analysis
guidelines
Single-case
Methodological quality
non-experimental
author_facet Rumen eManolov
José Luis eLosada
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Salvador eChacón-Moscoso
Susana eSanduvete-Chaves
author_sort Rumen eManolov
title Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
title_short Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
title_full Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
title_fullStr Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
title_full_unstemmed Analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: Illustration, software tools, and alternatives
title_sort analyzing two-phase single-case data with nonoverlap and mean difference indices: illustration, software tools, and alternatives
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Psychology
issn 1664-1078
publishDate 2016-01-01
description Two-phase single-case designs, including baseline evaluation followed by an intervention, represent the most clinically straightforward option for combining professional practice and research. However, unless they are part of a multiple-baseline schedule, such designs do not allow demonstrating a causal relation between the intervention and the behavior. Although the statistical options reviewed here cannot help overcoming this methodological limitation, we aim to make practitioners and applied researchers aware of the available appropriate options for extracting maximum information from the data. In the current paper, we suggest that the evaluation of behavioral change should include visual and quantitative analyses, complementing the substantive criteria regarding the practical importance of the behavioral change. Specifically, we emphasize the need to use structured criteria for visual analysis, such as the ones summarized in the What Works Clearinghouse Standards, especially if such criteria are complemented by visual aids, as illustrated here. For quantitative analysis, we focus on the Nonoverlap of all pairs and the Slope and level change procedure, as they offer straightforward information and have shown reasonable performance. An illustration is provided of the use of these three pieces of information: visual, quantitative, and substantive. To make the use of visual and quantitative analysis feasible, open source software is referred to and demonstrated. In order to provide practitioners and applied researchers with a more complete guide, several analytical alternatives are commented on pointing out the situations (aims, data patterns) for which these are potentially useful.
topic data analysis
guidelines
Single-case
Methodological quality
non-experimental
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00032/full
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