Doing Research in Behavior Modification

Chapter 23

Introduction• Phases of Behavior Modification Program:

– Screening phase• Clarifying the problem and determining who should treat it

– Baseline phase• Determining the initial level of the behavior

– Treatment phase• Intervention strategy is initiated

– Follow-up phase• Evaluating the persistence of desirable behavioral changes

after the termination of the program• A behavior modification research project attempts to

demonstrate convincingly that it is the treatment, rather than some uncontrolled variables, that was responsible for the change in the behavior in question.

Reversal-Replication (ABAB) Research Designs

• Baseline (A) is followed by treatment (B), return to baseline (A) condition, and then treatment again (B)

• Allows for replication of treatment effect

• Replication makes it clearer that treatment caused change in behavior

Reversal-Replication (ABAB) Research Designs

Reversal-Replication (ABAB) Research Designs

Reversal-Replication (ABAB) Research Designs

• Considerations– How long should the baseline phase last?

• Until see stable pattern or trend opposite that is expected from treatment

• Shorter baselines in studies of behavior previously researched

• Availability of time may shorten baseline time• Ethical considerations

– Some behaviors are dangerous, and it may be unethical to leave them untreated for long periods of time

– How many reversals and replications are necessary?• Less replications if large effects are observed and a lot of

previous research exists in the area• Limitations

– Withdrawal of treatment may not lead to return to baseline

– Withdrawal may be undesirable or unethical

Multiple Baseline Designs

• Conduct more than one AB design concurrently with treatments beginning at different times

• Useful when reversals cannot be introduced

Multiple Baseline Designs

• Across behaviors– Baselining several similar behaviors

within an individual• Across subjects

– Applying the same treatment to the same behavior problems of two or more individuals

• Across situations– Baselining one type of behavior for a

single individual in more than one setting

Multiple Baseline Designs

Changing-Criterion Designs

• Change over time the criterion for success and look for relationship between criteria changes and behavior change

• Can increase or decrease:– Frequency requirements– Rate requirements– Duration requirements– Etc.

Changing-Criterion Designs

Alternating-Treatment Designs

• Compare effects of two or more treatment conditions considerably more rapidly than in ABAB design– Applied at alternating times within the

same time period– Also known as multielement design

• Does not require reversal• Several treatments can be evaluated at

the same time• Disadvantage: treatment effects

interaction

Data Analysis and Interpretation

• Data typically analyzed without control groups and statistical techniques used in other areas of psychology

• Behavior modifiers interested in understanding and improving the behavior of individuals, not groups

Data Analysis and Interpretation

• Evaluate treatments on two basic criteria:– Scientific

• Guidelines used by a researcher to evaluate whether or not there has been a convincing demonstration that the treatment was responsible for the changes

• Judgment made by visually inspecting the graph of the results.• Guidelines for inspecting data - There is greater confidence

that a treatment effect has been observed:– the greater the number of times that results are replicated– the fewer the overlapping points between baseline and treatment

phases– the sooner the effect is observed following the introduction of

treatment– the larger the effect is in comparison to baseline– the more precisely the treatment procedures are specified– the more reliable the response measures– the more consistent the finding are with the existing data and accepted

behavioral theory

– Practical• Changes to client, other significant individuals in client’s life,

and society in general

Data Analysis and Interpretation

• Social Validity– Behavior modifiers need to socially

validate their work on at least three levels (Wolf, 1978):• Must examine the extent to which target

behaviors indentified for treatment programs are really the most important for client and society

• Must be concerned with the acceptability to the client of the particular procedures used

• Must ensure that the consumers are satisfied with the results