Main description:

Single Subject Designs in Biomedicine draws upon the rich history of single case research within the educational and behavioral research settings and extends the application to the field of biomedicine. Biomedical illustrations are used to demonstrate the processes of designing, implementing, and evaluating a single subject design. Strengths and limitations of various methodologies are presented, along with specific clinical areas of application in which these applications would be appropriate. Statistical and visual techniques for data analysis are also discussed. The breadth and depth of information provided is suitable for medical students in research oriented courses, primary care practitioners and medical specialists seeking to apply methods of evidence practice to improve patient care, and medical researchers who are expanding their methodological expertise to include single subject designs. Increasing awareness of the utility in the single subject design could enhance treatment approach and evaluation both in biomedical research and medical care settings.

Contents:

Chapter One: Overview of the Single Subject Design
Single Subject Design Methodolog

Chapter Two: The Application of the Single Subject Design
Choice and Measurement of Outcomes
Choice and Application of Interventions
Nomenclature of Single Subject Designs
The Family of Single Subject Designs: The Basic A-B Design 25
The A-B-A Design
A-B-A-B Design
B-A-B Single-Subject Design
Multiple Baseline Design
Alternating Treatments Design
Changing Criterion Design
Summary

Chapter Three: Methodological Framework for Single Subject Designs
Historical Roots
Individual-Focused Designs
Group Experimental Designs
Return to Single Subject Designs
Sources of Internal Validity Threats
Sources of Threats to Internal Validity
Mortality
Regression toward the Mean
Maturation
History
Testing Effects
Instrumentation
Withdrawal Reactions
Social-Cognitive
Residual Confounding
Threats to External Validity
Generalizability across Subjects
Generalizability across Physicians or Practitioners
Generalizability across Settings
Generalizability across Time
Generalizability across Outcomes
Generalizability across Treatment Interactions
Summary

Chapter Four: Evaluation and Analysis of Data Generated from Single Subject Designs
Experimental Control and the Single Subject Design
Techniques of Control
Elimination
Constancy
Balancing
Counterbalancing
Randomization
Interventions (Independent Variables)
Outcomes (Dependent Variables)
Response Guided Studies
Statistical Analysis of Data Collected using Single Subject Methodology
Graphical Display of Data and Visual Analysis
Inferential Statistical Analysis
Randomization Tests
Nonparametric Smoother
Celeration Line Methods
Sheward's Two Standard Deviation Band
Bartlett's Test
Mann-Whitney U
Revusky's Rn Statistic
TheW Statistic
The C Statistic
Summary

Chapter Five: Ethics and Single Subject Research
Primer on Ethics
Philosophical Perspectives
Guiding Principles
Professional Competence
Certification and Licensure
Maintaining Professional Competence
Practicing within an Area of Competence
Patient Rights
Informed Consent
Discontinuation
Confidentiality
Deception
Conflict of Interest
Methodological Considerations
Choice of Patient
Choice of Treatment Objectives
Choice of Interventions
Choice of Control Conditions
Withdrawal Designs
Research Context
Facilitating Research

Chapter Six: Application of the Single Subject Design in Biomedicine
Past and Current Application of the Single Subject Design in Biomedicine
Overview for Conducting a Single Subject Design
Illustrations of Single Subject Design Application
Summary

Chapter Seven: Annotated Bibliography of Single Subject Studies
Notes