Alternating Treatment and Changing Criterion Designs

Alternating Treatment and Changing Criterion Designs

Suppose an instructor is investigating ways to improve scores on the weekly exams she gives her class. She decides to introduce online discussion questions, but chooses to alternate the discussions, assigning them every other week. At the end of the term, she compares the exam results on “discussion weeks” versus “non-discussion weeks.” Without realizing it, this instructor has designed an alternating treatment experiment.

Single-subject experimental designs aim to test the effectiveness of an intervention or to compare the relative effectiveness of two or more interventions. They differ from case studies in that they are true experiments, not merely observational. Two examples of single-subject experimental designs are alternating treatment designs (as introduced by the instructor in the above example) and changing criteria designs.

In this Discussion, you will examine the application of alternating treatment designs and changing criteria designs. You will identify behaviors that may benefit from these experimental designs and explore the appropriateness of their use.

To Prepare

• Review the Learning Resources for this week, including the required weekly media programs, to gain an understanding of reinforcing functionally equivalent alternatives to problem behavior when using a reductive procedure.
• Note: It is critical for you to review all media for this week prior to completing this Discussion.
• Post a description of a behavior for which the following designs might be appropriate:
  • Changing criterion design
  • Alternating treatment design
  Explain the advantages and limitations of alternating treatment and changing criterion designs.

  Resources

• Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis (3rd ed.). Pearson.
  • Chapter 7, “Analyzing Behavior Change: Basic Assumptions and Strategies” (pp. 155–170)
• Kazdin, A. E. (2021). Single-case research designs: Methods for clinical and applied settings (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • Chapter 8, “Changing-Criterion Designs” (pp. 209–234)
  • Chapter 9, “Multiple-Treatment Designs” (pp. 235–268)
  • Chapter 10, “Probe and Randomization” (pp. 269–286)
  • Chapter 11, “Additional Design Options” (pp. 287–312)
• Koegel, R. L., Oliver, K., & Koegel, L. K. (2018). The impact of prior activity history on the influence of restricted repetitive behaviors on socialization for children with high-functioning autismLinks to an external site.. Behavior Modification, 42 , 34–57. doi: 10.1177/0145445517706346
• Xu, S., Wang, J., Lee, G. T., & Luke, N. (2017). Using self-monitoring with guided goal setting to increase academic engagement for a student with autism in an inclusive classroom in ChinaLinks to an external site.. The Journal of Special Education, 51 , 106-114. doi: 10.1177/0022466916679980
• Document: Case Study Performance Tasks Download Case Study Performance Tasks(Word document)