ABA Exam CoachLessons · D. Experimental Design
D.7 · Four single-case designs, side by side
Reversal, multiple baseline, multielement, changing criterion: they can blur together, but each one shows experimental control in its own way. Learn to spot that one move and you can name the design in any scenario.
Key takeaway
Name the design by its structure, not by the labels in the scenario. A reversal design withdraws the treatment and then reinstates it, phase by phase. A multiple baseline staggers when treatment starts across behaviors, settings, or people. A multielement design switches conditions rapidly, often from one session to the next. A changing-criterion design moves one behavior in steps toward a series of criteria.
Name the design by its structure, not by the labels in the scenario. A reversal design withdraws the treatment and then reinstates it, phase by phase. A multiple baseline staggers when treatment starts across behaviors, settings, or people. A multielement design switches conditions rapidly, often from one session to the next. A changing-criterion design moves one behavior in steps toward a series of criteria.
Members get the full lesson video, notes and a 5-question test
The video walks through the idea, worked examples, the trap people fall into and an exam-style question. The notes and the checkpoint come with it, and your results feed your Where to focus plan.