Abstract
The chapter introduces single subject-based interventions used in clinical neuropsychology practice to human service psychologists. The author first defined clinical neuropsychology and clinical neuropsychologists and introduced single subject-based designs as a research methodology that is used in clinical neuropsychology research and interventions. The author listed some common views of single subject designs and emphasized that it is important for researchers and clinicians to appreciate the strengths and unique features of single subject-based designs, despite their limitations. The history of single subject-based designs in experimental and clinical psychology contexts was briefly introduced, followed by an overview of experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis. Evidence-based interventions and increased evaluation and accountability in single subject designs were described. A clinical neuropsychology case was presented to demonstrate various single subject-based design types: ABAB design, BABA design, ABCBCA design, multiple-baseline design, changing-criterion design, multiple-treatment design, and quasi-single-case experimental design. The author also discussed why it is important for clinical neuropsychologists to focus on multicultural issues and how to provide culturally competent neuropsychological services to all clients. The advantages, limitations, and characteristics of single subject designs were summarized. In the future, it is recommended that single subject-based designs be better applied in two broad contexts.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D’Amato, R. C., & Perfect, M. (2020). History of the future of proactive school psychology: Historical review at our 75th APA anniversary to transcend the past, excel in the present, and transform the future. School Psychology, 35(6), 375–384. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000420
Allport, G. W. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality. Holt, Reinhart & Winston.
American Psychological Association. (2003). Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for psychologists. American Psychologist, 58, 377–402.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Clinical neuropsychology. https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/neuro
American Psychological Association. (2017). Multicultural guidelines: An ecological approach to context, identity, and intersectionality. http://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines.pdf
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.32.7.513
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Colby, S. L., & Ortman, J. M. (2014). Projections of the size and composition of the U.S. population: 2014 to 2060. In Current Population Reports (pp. 25–1143). U.S. Census Bureau.
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Pearson.
D’Amato, R. C., Fletcher-Janzen, E., & Reynolds, C. R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of school neuropsychology. Wiley.
Ferster, C. B. (1961). Positive reinforcement and behavioral deficits of young children. Child Development, 32, 437–456. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1961.tb05042.x
Kazdin, A. E. (2020). Single-case research designs: Methods for clinical and applied settings(3rd ed.). Oxford.
Kazdin, A. E. (2001). Behavior modification in applied settings (6th ed.). Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Kratochwill, T. R., & Stoiber, K. C. (2002). Evidence-based interventions in school psychology: Conceptual foundations of the Procedural and Coding Manual of Division 16 and the Society for the Study of School Psychology Task Force. School Psychology Quarterly, 17(4), 341–389. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1521/scpq.17.4.341.20872
Kratochwill, T. R., & Shernoff, E. S. (2003). Evidence-based practice: Promoting evidence-based interventions in school psychology. School Psychology Quarterly, 18(4), 389–408. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1521/scpq.18.4.389.27000
Lambert, M. J., Hansen, N. B., & Finch, A. E. (2001). Patient-focused research: Using patient outcome data to enhance treatment effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69(2), 159–172.
Lambert, M. J., Hansen, N. B., Umpress, V., Lunnen, K., Okiishi, J., Burlingame, G. M., … Reisinger, C. (1996). Administration and scoring manual for the outcome questionnaire (OQ 45.2). American Professional Credentialing Services.
Manly, J. J., Jacobs, D. M., Touradji, P., Small, S. A., & Stern, Y. (2002). Reading level attenuates differences in neuropsychological test performance between African American and white elders. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 8(3), 341–348. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1355617702813157
National Academy of Neuropsychology. (2001). NAN definition of a clinical neuropsychologist. https://www.nanonline.org/docs/PAIC/PDFs/NANPositionDefNeuro.pdf
Nock, M. K., Michel, B. D., & Photos, V. (2007). Single-case research designs. In D. McKay (Ed.), Handbook of research methods in abnormal and clinical psychology (pp. 337–350). Sage.
Power, E. M., & D’Amato, R. C. (2018). Should our future include the integration of evidence-based neuropsychological services into school settings? In D. P. Flanagan & E. M. McDonough (Eds.), Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues (p. 1017–1045). The Guilford Press.
Power, E. M., Hill, A. K., D’Amato, R. C., & Losoff, R. (2016, August). Social stories ™ as a neuropsychological intervention for an adolescent with autism Spectrum disorder. Poster session presented at the American Psychological Association convention, Denver, CO.
Rivera Mindt, M., Byrd, D., Saez, P., & Manly, J. (2010). Increasing culturally competent neuropsychological services for ethnic minority populations: A call to action. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24(3), 429–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854040903058960
Sidman, M. (1960). Tactics of scientific research. Basic Books.
Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Free Press.
Traughber, M. C., & D’Amato, R. C. (2005). Integrating evidence-based neuropsychological services into school settings: Issues and challenges for the future. In R. C. D’Amato, E. Fletcher-Janzen, & C. R. Reynolds (Eds.), Handbook of school neuropsychology (pp. 827–857). Wiley.
Watson, R. I. (1951). The clinical method in psychology. Harper.
Witsken, D., D’Amato, R., & Hartlage, L. (2008). Understanding the past, present, and future of clinical neuropsychology. In R. C. D’Amato & L. C. Hartlage (Eds.), Essentials of neuropsychological assessment: Rehabilitation planning for intervention (pp. 103–118). Springer.
Zilboorg, G., & Henry, G. W. (1941). A history of medical psychology. Norton.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wu, F. (2021). Designing Single Subject Research-Based Interventions for Clinical Neuropsychology Practice. In: D’Amato, R.C., Davis, A.S., Power, E.M., Eusebio, E.C. (eds) Understanding the Biological Basis of Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59162-5_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59162-5_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-59161-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-59162-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)