ABACBC design
A single-subject research design that alternates between baseline and multiple treatment conditions to compare intervention effectiveness.
Full Definition
The ABACBC design is a sophisticated single-subject experimental design that allows researchers to compare the effects of multiple interventions within the same participant. The design begins with a baseline phase (A), followed by the first treatment (B), return to baseline (A), introduction of the second treatment (C), return to baseline (B), and implementation of the third treatment (C). This pattern enables direct comparison of different intervention approaches while controlling for sequence effects and demonstrating experimental control. The ABACBC design is particularly valuable in clinical research where practitioners need to determine which of several evidence-based treatments is most effective for an individual client.
Usage
Usage note: More complex than ABAB designs and should not be confused with multiple baseline designs which test across different behaviors or settings.
In Context
- "The ABACBC design allowed comparison of three different prompting strategies for the same target behavior." — Research methodology paper
- "Results from the ABACBC design clearly demonstrated the superiority of intervention B over intervention C." — Single-subject research report