Applied Behavior Analysis Designs

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Three research designs that are used in Applied Behavior Analysis are alternating treatment designs, reversal/withdrawal designs, and changing criterion designs. Each of the designs are used in order to provide effective individualized treatments/interventions to individuals. The changing criterion design, reversal/withdrawal designs, and alternating treatment designs can be implemented in a variety of settings such as schools, clinical settings, hospitals, and the home. Each of these designs are used in order to decrease or increase target behaviors and to promote the success of individuals by evaluating the treatment results and effects (Vannest, Ninci, 2014).
Alternating treatment designs: Alternating treatment designs are used in order
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For example A-B, A-B-A-B, A-B-A. The A stands for the baseline and B represents the treatment or intervention that is being implemented. Using withdrawal designs helps the professional implementing the design to know if that there is a functional relationship between the independent and dependent variables. In other words, the treatment is decreasing or increasing because of the treatment or intervention that has been implemented (Richards, Taylor, & Ramasamy, 2014).
Changing criterion designs:
The changing criterion design is used to slowly change a behavior in stages. Baseline data is collected. Next criteria is set for each phase of the design. Once the criteria is reached then a new criteria is implemented. This continues until each phase is completed meeting the criteria and the goal is mastered. It is important to make sure that the individual is able to reach the criteria for a certain period time or over consecutive days in order to show that there is a functional relationship between the independent variable as and dependent variables. A changing criterion design should also be used with skills or behaviors that are already in a individuals repertoire and needs to be increased or decreased depending on the goal. The changing criterion method also should be used when a withdrawal or reversal design is not the best design to be used. (McDougall, Hawkins, Brady, & Jenkins,
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All three treatments need to be socially significant and appropriate for individuals which can be done when creating treatments by getting permission of the individual, and the family members. Internal validity can be demonstrated in all three designs when data shows that there are changes in the behavior due to the intervention that has been put in place. External validity can be demonstrated by carrying over the interventions in multiple settings or locations within in an area. Interventions should also be implemented by multiple trained professionals as well and still have the same positive results (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). The alternating treatment design is good to use when trying to compare and deciding which treatment is the most effective to use. Another advantage of using the alternating treatment design is that collection of baseline data is not imperative to be collected in order to implement the interventions. Although this may advantage it may also be disadvantage because without baseline data you cannot compare how often the client was engaging in target behaviors prior to the treatment and if the treatment is effectively working. Some disadvantages of using the alternative treatment design is that it may difficult to implement using more than one