The Compound Multiple-Baseline Design

Area of Science:

• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Research Methodology

Background:

• The multiple-baseline design is a cornerstone of applied behavior-analytic research.
• A limitation arises when pre-determined baseline lengths coincide with trending data, potentially confounding results and weakening experimental control.
• Trending baseline data can mimic treatment effects, compromising the integrity of the multiple-baseline design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the historical development of modifying the multiple-baseline design.
• To review contemporary applications of this modified design.
• To identify and suggest potential new areas for its application in research.

Main Methods:

• Modification of the traditional multiple-baseline design by staggering baselines across multiple dimensions (e.g., participants, settings, behaviors).
• Analysis of historical precedents and recent research employing this staggered-baseline approach.
• Conceptualization of future research applications.

Main Results:

• The modified design, staggering baselines across dimensions, offers a partial solution to the threat of trending baseline data.
• This approach strengthens experimental control by reducing the likelihood of implementing the independent variable during unfavorable baseline trends.
• The article highlights the adaptability and utility of this design modification.

Conclusions:

• Modifying the multiple-baseline design by staggering across dimensions is a valuable strategy to enhance experimental rigor in behavior analysis.
• This methodological refinement addresses a critical limitation of the traditional design, particularly concerning baseline data trends.
• The approach is versatile and holds promise for broader application in diverse research contexts.