TECHNICAL BRIEF NO. 22 2009
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The Role of Single-Subject Experimental Designs in Evidence-Based Practice Times
Ralf W. Schlosser, PhD, Department of Speech-Language, Pathology and Audiology, Northeastern University
1 Horner et al. (2005) refer to "identifying evidence-based practices," but the argument has been made that the phrase "identifying empirically supported treatments" might be more appropriate for their self-stated purpose (see Schlosser & Sigafoos, 2008).
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2 It is acknowledged that research evidence should never directly inform decision making; rather, research evidence should be modified by clinical or educational expertise and relevant stakeholder perspectives.
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3 Although SSEDs share some features with n-of-1 RCTs, it has been shown in this brief that they also bear several critical differences. Therefore, this author argues that these designs are sufficiently dissimilar to warrant separate discussions concerning their contributions to empirically supported treatments and EBP.
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