Question

f)

What are the three major types of multiple-baseline designs and how do they differ?

What are the benefits and drawbacks to multiple-baseline designs?

Answer 1

Three basic types of multiple baseline design are (a) multiple baseline across different behaviors of the same subject, (b) multiple baseline across the same behavior of different subjects, and (c) multiple baseline of the same behavior of one subject across different settings.There are four advantages and four limitations to using the multiple baseline design. The advantages are (a) it does not require withdrawing an effective intervention, (b) sequential implementation of the independent variable parallels the practice of many teachers and clinicians (c) the concurrent measurement of different  behaviors allows direct monitoring of any kind  behavior change, and (d) the design is easy for us to understand  and implement. Limitations of the design are a) if behaviors are not functionally independent, the designs would not  demonstrate a functional relationship even though one may exist, (b) since  verification must be understood from the lack of change in other behaviors, the design is inherently weaker than the reversal design at showcasing experimental control, (c) it is like an evaluation of the independent variable’s general effectiveness than an analysis of the behaviors selected for study(d) it requires considerable time and resources.