The Social Work Student's Research Handbook by Dominique Moyse Steinberg

Author:Dominique Moyse Steinberg [Steinberg, Dominique Moyse]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Social Work
ISBN: 9781317549536
Google: N73lCAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2015-05-11T04:12:22+00:00

FIGURE 15.1 AB Design on one variable (days 1–5 equal before intervention; 6 equal first day of intervention)

The AB Design is subject to many possible rival hypotheses (How do you know it was your intervention that produced the result and nothing but?), making strong conclusions difficult. Variations, such as those below, begin to introduce some controls against rival hypotheses, permitting stronger conclusions about the effect/s of the intervention.

ABAB Design on one variable

Let’s say you go on vacation for two weeks. Rather than end the study, you and your client decide she’ll continue to track her progress while you’re away (A2) and when you return you’ll continue the treatment (B2) and also see how it went for her while you were away (Figure 15.2). This design is also known as single-subject experiment because A2 (when you’re away) serves as a “case control” by reflecting what happens when X stops for any reason after X/T.

Clearly, the introduction of a case-control period begins to help you control for possible rival hypotheses regarding the effects of your intervention. If regression occurs during your absence (the withdrawal of the intervention), there is a message about the intervention. It is then important to explore and examine that message. Is it true regression in the absence of treatment/service? Did something particular happen in the life of the client system to create a regression? Or, in the alternative, did the client remain stable during the absence of the intervention? If so, what might that signify? Is that a good thing? Do you wish your client regressed when you were away so you could be sure that it is your presence that has the desired treatment/service effect? (Just kidding, of course! Naturally, you would not wish this—at least your professional self would not wish this, but this is all important food for thought about the impact of your intervention.)

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.