Single-subject designs are useful tools to aid in the evaluation of the effectiveness of a treatment intervention. Unfortunately, within the single-subject strategy there can arise a question as to what is demonstrated-treatment control or a lack of generalization (transfer)? Toward the resolution of such an issue, both stimulus and response generalization are examined for several single-subject designs. It is suggested that the assessment of certain types of generalization for certain designs would not contradict a demonstration of treatment control. Such nonproblematic tests for generalization are suggested as a worthwhile addition to our evaluative armamentarium, and a methodology to conduct "generalization tests" is outlined.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Baer, D. M. , Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R.Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1968, 1, 91-97.
2.
Bailey, J. S. , Timbers, G. D., Phillips, E. L., & Wolf, M. M.Modification of articulation errors of pre-delinquents by their peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1971, 4, 265-281.
3.
Campbell, D. T. , & Stanley, J. C.Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1963.
4.
Clark, H. B. , Boyd, S. B., & Macrae, J. W.A classroom program teaching disadvantaged youths to write biographic information. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1975, 8, 67-76.
5.
Craighead, W. E. , Kazdin, A. E., & Mahoney, M. J.Behavior modification: Principals, issues, and applications. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976.
6.
Dunham, P. J.Contrasted conditions of reinforcement: A selective critique . Psychological Bulletin, 1968, 69, 295-315.
7.
Edelstein, B. A. , & Eisler, R. M.Effects of modeling and modeling with instructions and feedback on the behavioral components of social skills. Behavior Therapy, 1976, 7, 382-389.
8.
Frederiksen, L. W. , Jenkins, J. O., Foy, D. W., & Eisler, R. M.Social-skills training to modify abusive verbal outbursts in adults. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1976, 9, 117-125.
9.
Freeman, B. J.Behavioral contrast: Reinforcement frequency or response suppression . Psychological Bulletin, 1971, 75, 347-356.
10.
Hartmann, D. P. , & Atkinson, C.Having your cake and eating it too: A note on some apparent contradictions between therapeutic achievements and design requirements in N= 1 studies. Behavior Therapy, 1973, 4, 589-591.
11.
Hersen, M. , & Barlow, D. H.Single case experimental designs. New York: Pergamon, 1976.
12.
Kazdin, A. E.Behavior modification in applied settings. Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press, 1975.
13.
Kazdin, A. E. , & Kopel, S. A.On resolving ambiguities of the multiple baseline design: Problems and recommendations. Behavior Therapy, 1975, 6, 601-608.
14.
Kendall, P. C. , & Finch, A. J.A cognitive-behavioral treatment for impulse control: A case study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976, 44, 852-857.
15.
Kendall, P. C. & Finch, A. J., Jr.Therapeutic biofeedback and single-subject strategy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 1978, 15, 299-301.
16.
Kendall, P. C. , Nay, W. R., & Jeffers, J.Timeout duration and contrast effects: A systematic evaluation of a successive treatments design. Behavior Therapy, 1975, 6, 609-615.
17.
Krasner, L. , & Ullmann, L. P.Behavior influence and personality. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1973.
18.
Meyers, A. , Mercatoris, M., & Sirota, A.Use of covert self-instruction for the elimination of psychotic speech. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1976, 44, 480-482.
19.
O'Leary, K. D. , & Drabman, R.Token reinforcement program in the classroom: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 1971, 5, 379-398.
20.
Rincover, A. , & Koegel, R. I.Setting generality and stimulus control in autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1975, 8, 235-246.
21.
Sidman, M.Tactics of scientific research. New York: Basic Books, 1960.
22.
Stevens-Long, J. , Schwarz, J. L., & Bliss, D.The acquisition and generalization of compound sentence structure in an autistic child. Behavior Therapy, 1976, 7, 397-404.
23.
Stokes, T. F. , & Baer, D. M.An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1977, 10, 349-368.
24.
Ulman, J. D. & Sulzer-Azaroff, B.Multielement baseline design in educational research. In E. Ramp & G. Semk (Eds.), Behavior analysis: Areas of research and application. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1975.
