The consecutive controlled case series: Design, data-analytics, and reporting methods supporting the study of...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Research Methodology
• Experimental Psychology

Background:

• Single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) are crucial for analyzing behavior in research and practice.
• SCEDs allow for detailed examination of individual responses to interventions.
• There is a need for robust methodologies to assess the generalizability of findings from individual cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and discuss Consecutive Controlled Case Series (CCCS) methodologies.
• To highlight the utility of CCCS in examining the generality of procedures and processes.
• To outline applications of CCCS in clinical research, epidemiology, and comparative efficacy studies.

Main Methods:

• The paper details CCCS methodologies, including retrospective, prospective, and randomized designs.
• SCEDs are employed within a series of consecutively encountered cases sharing common characteristics or procedures.
• Integration with randomized group designs for comparative efficacy trials is discussed.

Main Results:

• CCCS methodologies enable the examination of clinical procedure generality, including efficacy and mediating variables.
• These designs facilitate the study of the epidemiology and phenomenology of clinical problems.
• CCCS can be used to compare the efficacy of different clinical procedures.

Conclusions:

• Consecutive controlled case series (CCCS) offer a powerful framework for extending findings from single-case experimental designs (SCEDs).
• CCCS methodologies are versatile, applicable to diverse research questions concerning clinical practice and behavioral science.
• The discussed approaches enhance the ability to assess treatment generality and compare interventions.