Evaluating Practice

Preface

Prologue



Part I

What Are You Getting Into?


1 Integrating Evaluation and Practice




Introduction to Single-System Designs

What Are Single-System Designs?


Evidence-Based Practice

Single-System Designs and Classical Research: The Knowledge-Building Context


Single-System Evaluation, Qualitative Research, and Quantitative Research


Advantages of Using Single-System Designs in Practice


A Walk through the Evaluation Process


Summary






Part IIConceptualizing and Measuring Targets and Objectives/Goals


2 Basic Principles of Conceptualization and Measurement




Introduction


What Is Conceptualization?


What Is Measurement?


Definition as a First Step in Measurement


Can Everything Be Measured?


Key Characteristics of All Measures


Summary




3 Specifying Problems and Goals




Introduction: From General Problems to Specific Targets of Intervention


Specifying Client Concerns: Identifying and Clarifying Problems and Potentials


Specifying Goals and Objectives


Using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) to Establish Goals


Setting Goals in Groups


Problems and Issues in Setting Goals


Summary




4 Developing a Measurement and Recording Plan




Introduction


Steps in Developing a Recording Plan


Charting: Putting Your Information on Graphs


Problem-Oriented Records (POR)


Use of Computers in Evaluation and Practice


Summary




Computer Assisted Social Services (CASS): A User's Guide


Appendix: Installing CASS



5 Behavioral Observation




Introduction


General Guidelines for Behavioral Observation


Sampling Behaviors


Instruments for Recording Behaviors


Ensuring Accurate Observations


Methods of Recording Behavior


Analog Situations


Recording Behavior in Groups


Summary




6 Individualized Rating Scales




Introduction


Uses of Individualized Rating Scales


Constructing and Using Individualized Rating Scales


Summary




7 Standardized Scales




Introduction


What Are Standardized Scales?


Selecting a Standardized Scale


Administering a Standardized Scale


Some Available Standardized Self-Report Scales


Some Available Standardized Scales for Practitioners


Some Available Standardized Scales for Relevant Others


Some Available Standardized Scales for Independent Observers


Do-It-Yourself Scales


Using Standardized Scales in Groups


Computer Management of Standardized Scales


Summary


Appendix




Computer Assisted Assessment Package (CAAP): A User's Guide





8 Logs




Introduction


Types of Client Logs


Putting Qualitative and Quantitative Information Together


Introducing Clients to Logs


Practitioner Logs


Maximizing and Verifying the Reliability and Validity of Logs


Summary




9 Reactivity and Nonreactive Measures




Introduction


Reactivity of Measures


Unobtrusive (Nonreactive) Measures


Summary




10 Selecting a Measure




Introduction

Considerations in Deciding on a Measure


Use of Multiple Measures


Selecting a Measure


Summary




Part III

Evaluation Designs


11 Basic Principles of Single-System Designs



Introduction


An Example Connecting Practice and Evaluation Designs


Purposes of Single-System Designs


Unique Characteristics of Single-System Designs


Causality in Single-System Designs


External Validity and Generalizability


Overview of Single-System Designs

Summary




12 Baselining




Introduction


Purposes of the Baseline


Types of Baselines


How Long Should Baselining Continue?


When Are Baselines Not Necessary?


Issues Regarding Baselining


Summary




13 From the Case Study to the Basic Single-System Design: A-B



Introduction


Case Studies or Predesigns


Design A-B: The Basic Single-System Design


Summary




14 The Experimental Single-System Designs: A-B-A, A-B-A-B, B-A-B




Introduction


Basic Experimental Designs


Summary




15 Multiple Designs for Single Systems




Introduction


Multiple-Baseline Designs: Across Problems, Clients, or Settings


Multiple-Target Designs


Variations on Multiple Designs


Summary




16 Changing Intensity Designs and Successive Intervention Designs




Introduction


Changing Intensity Designs: A-B1-B2-B3


Successive Intervention Designs: A-B-C, A-B-A-C, A-B-A-C-A


Summary




17 Designs for Comparing Interventions




Introduction


Alternating Intervention Design: A-B/C-(B orC)


Interaction Design: A-B-A-B-BC-B-BC


Summary




18 Selecting a Design




Introduction


Framework for Selecting a Design


Needed: A Design for All Seasons


Creativity in Single-System Designs: Making Your Own Designs


Evaluation in Minimal-Contact Situations


Single-System Designs in Managed Care: The Stretch Design


Trouble-Shooting: "Okay, I Understand Everything That You Said, but My Case Is Different."


Summary




Part IV

Analyzing Your Results


19 Basic Principles of Analysis




Introduction


Distinguishing Effort, Effectiveness, and Efficiency


Significance-Practical, Statistical, and Theoretical


Evaluating Goal Achievement


Issues in Analysis of Data


Computer Analysis of Data for Single-System Designs


The Issue of Autocorrelation


Tools in Analysis of Data


Summary




20 Visual Analysis of Single-System Design Data




Introduction


Definition of Terms


Basic Patterns and Implications


Visual Inspection of Raw Data


Interpreting Ambiguous Patterns


Problems of Visual Inspection


Creating a Chart with SINGWIN


Summary




21 Descriptive Statistics




Introduction


Measures of Central Tendency


Measures of Variation


Using Measures of Central Tendency and Variability to Graph Group Data


Computing and Graphing Measures of Central Tendency and Variation with SINGWIN


Measures of Trend


Measures of Effect Size


Optimal Uses and Cautions for Specific Descriptive Statistics


Summary




22 Tests of Statistical Significance for Single-System Designs




Introduction


Proportion/Frequency Approach


Three-Standard-Deviation-Band Approach (X-Moving-Range-Chart)


Chi-Square


Conservative Dual-Criteria (CDC) Approach


t-Test


General Considerations in Using Tests of Statistical Significance


Optimal Uses and Cautions for Specific Analytic Procedures


Summary




23 Computer Analysis of Single-System Design Data




Chapter Overview


Starting SINGWIN


Exiting SINGWIN


Getting the Big Picture


Using Specific Procedures


Appendix: Installing Singwin


Summary




24 Selecting a Procedure for Analyzing Data




Introduction


Framework for Selecting a Procedure for Analyzing Data


Other Statistical Considerations


Nonstatistical Considerations


Limitations


Summary




Part V

The Challenge of Single-System Designs


25 Not for Practitioners Alone



Introduction


Special Applications of Single-System Designs


Recent Criticisms of Single-System Evaluation


For the Client


For the Administrator


For Educators and Students


Summary




References


Name Index


Subject Index