The consecutive controlled case series: Design, data‐analytics, and reporting methods supporting the study of generality

Abstract

Single‐case experimental designs (SCEDs) have proven invaluable in research and practice because they are optimal for asking many experimental questions relevant to the analysis of behavior. The consecutive controlled case series (CCCS) is a type of study in which a SCED is employed in a series of consecutively encountered cases that undergo a common procedure or share a common characteristic. Additional design elements, data‐analytic, and reporting methods enable researchers to ask experimental questions relevant to the study of generality of procedures and processes. The current paper discusses the CCCS methodologies, including the retrospective, prospective, and randomized CCCS. These methodologies can be applied to examine the generality of clinical procedures (including their general efficacy, the limits of their generality, and variables that may mediate generality); study the epidemiology and phenomenology of clinical problems; and compare the efficacy of 2 clinical procedures within a randomized controlled trial combining SCEDs with randomized group designs.

Controlled case series demonstrates how parents can be trained to treat paediatric feeding disorders at home

“…The study included all cases that met the inclusion criteria, regardless of outcome, to reduce selection and publication bias. 22 This was consistent with the consecutive, controlled case series experimental design. All the 26 cases also demonstrated experimental control, using within-subjects, single-case experimental designs, where each case served as its own control.…”

Initial outcomes of an augmented competing stimulus assessment

“…Sessions were conducted in various areas of the inpatient unit including a bedroom (3.5 m by 3.5 m) for Participants 1 and 2; padded session rooms measuring approximately 3.0 m by 3.0 m for Participants 3, 4, and 5; and an activity area measuring approximately 3.2 m by 3.2 m for Participant 6. These six cases represent all the consecutively encountered cases for whom the A‐CSA was conducted (no cases meeting these inclusion criteria were excluded); and additional design, data‐analytic, and reporting elements characteristic of a consecutive controlled case series were employed (Hagopian, 2020).…”

“…Conducting three series in which every stimulus and a control trial are present permits the replication of effects. Therefore, the current study can be considered a consecutive controlled case series study (Hagopian, 2020). Figure S1 (see Supplemental Materials) is constructed in a manner to demonstrate this by depicting outcomes for two stimuli tested with Participant 1.…”

Tutorial: Applying Machine Learning in Behavioral Research

“…As will be shown in the current tutorial, datasets with as few as 25 participants or 25 sessions may produce meaningful results using machine learning. With the growing use of consecutive case series designs in behavior analysis (e.g., Hagopian, 2020;Jessel, et al 2019;Lomas Mevers et al, 2018;Rooker et al, 2013), several researchers and practitioners may already have sufficiently large datasets to apply such algorithms. In the following sections, we present a step-by-step application of machine learning using data from a behavioral study published by Turgeon et al (2020).…”