David L. Morgan - Single-Case Research Methods for the Behavioral and Health Sciences

Copyright 2009 by SAGE Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

SAGE Publications, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, California 91320
E-mail:

SAGE Publications Ltd.
1 Olivers Yard
55 City Road
London EC1Y 1SP
United Kingdom

SAGE Publications India Pvt. Ltd.
B 1/I 1 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Area
Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 044
India

SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd.
33 Pekin Street #02-01
Far East Square
Singapore 048763

Printed in the United States of America.

Morgan, David L. (David Lloyd), 1957-

Single-case research methods for the behavioral and health sciences/David L. Morgan, Robin K. Morgan.

p.; cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4129-5039-8 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Single subject research. 2. Social sciencesResearchMethodology. 3. Medical sciencesResearchMethodology. I. Morgan, Robin K., 1961- II. Title. [DNLM: 1. Behavioral Researchmethods. 2. Health Services Researchmethods. 3. Research Design. WM 20 M847s 2009]

BF76.6.S56M67 2009

150.722dc22 2008011836

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

08 09 10 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

A decade ago, this book may have been seen as useful to only a small population of applied researchers, particularly applied behavior analysts. Because behavior analysts have been longtime supporters of single-case research, in both its basic and applied domains, the philosophy and design strategies discussed in this book will appear quite familiar to these professionals. But the increasing managed care landscape, coupled with multidisciplinary calls for evidence-based practice, has engendered substantial dialogue about and exploration of alternative research strategies. This change has been especially felt by practitioners who are being called upon to document the effectiveness of the health care interventions they deliver to clients. This requirement has historically gone unmet because the strategies and tactics of large group research designs have been unwieldy, if not impossible to implement in applied settings. We hope that the readers of this book will come to recognize that the goals of science and practice, so often and for so long viewed as disconnected, are in fact quite compatible. Indeed, even as this book was being written, numerous single-case studies were being published in professional journals in psychology, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, and social work. We think that youll agree that this is a welcome development, not only for the sciences that inform professional practice but also for the citizens who ultimately stand to benefit from the establishment of evidence-based health care.

This book is the collaborative product of a great deal of work by some very talented people, including the very capable staff at Sage Publications. We would like to thank the following reviewers for investing both their time and intellectual energy in making this a much better book than it would have otherwise been: Neville Blampied, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; Maureen E. Angell, Illinois State University; and J. Michael Crowley, Oregon State University. We are especially grateful to Dennis McDougall at the University of Hawaii. With considerable diligence and a keen eye, Dennis went above and beyond the call of duty in providing editorial support, cogent recommendations, and suggested revisions through both drafts of the manuscript. Finally, we are fortunate to have worked with a supportive and professional editorial staff at Sage. Writing a textbook is an enormous challenge, requiring substantial coordination and timely correspondence with everyone involved. We are thankful to have had Lisa Cuevas-Shaw, Sean Connelly, Vicki Knight, and Karen Wiley onboard to make this process manageable and relatively anxiety free. We are especially indebted to Kathy Savadel, whose copyediting magic was rendered with great skill and professionalism, making the process much smoother than any author could anticipate.

For students and faculty: It would be hard to imagine more valuable feedback regarding this book than could be offered by those of you working in the trenches. Your comments and recommendations concerning this book would be greatly appreciated, and we welcome you to correspond with us at .

David L. Morgan, Spalding University
Robin K. Morgan Indiana University Southeast

T hese words, written a half century ago by Americas leading behavioral scientist, reflect the purpose of this book. All around us, human service professionalsbe they psychologists, nurses, rehabilitation specialists, or physical and occupational therapistsattempt to salve the aches, pain, and anxieties of being human in the 21st century. Increasingly, their efforts are being informed by the latest findings from the research-oriented disciplines of the behavioral and health sciences. As a consequence, it has become imperative that students in the human service fields acquire an understanding of and appreciation for the many philosophies and methods that characterize research in these areas. Indeed, being a competent professional in any field requires a working familiarity with the latest relevant research, particularly when this research bears important implications for applied interventions.

This book is intended as an introduction to the philosophical and strategic features of single-case research as conducted within the behavioral and health sciences. Single-case research represents a powerful and effective alternative to the large group designs that have characterized much of the history of behavioral science but that often prove impractical, particularly in the applied setting of the field or clinic. The flexibility and sensitivity of single-case designs to local factors offer substantial benefits to those charged with conducting research in clinical settings. Moreover, the single-case approach, in both spirit and practice, meshes well with the needs of professionals who are almost exclusively providing care for individual clients. We will be considering the philosophical underpinnings, historical development, design features and advantages, contemporary use, and future prospects of single-case research as conducted by psychologists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and other allied health scientists.