Current tests and trends in single-case neuropsychology

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Statistics
• Psychology

Background:

• Single-case research is crucial for understanding individual patient responses.
• Statistical methods in single-case research have evolved significantly.
• Crawford and colleagues have made substantial contributions to statistical refinements over 12 years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide context for new Bayesian statistical tests for single-case research.
• To evaluate the current state and rigor of single-case research.
• To highlight the impact of statistical refinements on current practices.

Main Methods:

• Audit of Cortex archives to trace the development of statistical methods.
• Review of single-case research practices and their evolution.
• Introduction of new Bayesian statistical tests accounting for covariates.

Main Results:

• Single-case research is robust and increasingly rigorous.
• Statistical refinements have significantly shaped current practices.
• New Bayesian tests offer advantages for analyzing single patients against control samples with covariates.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for further standardization in statistical methods and reporting.
• The new Bayesian tests are expected to increase the use of appropriate statistical methods.
• These advancements will improve the validity and cross-comparability of single-case studies.