High-quality training in evidence-based practices during pre-service preparation is essential for improving special education outcomes. Multiple stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessments are critical for identifying effective reinforcers, yet pre-service teachers often lack systematic training in these procedures. This study evaluated a remote Behavioral Skills Training (BST) package for teaching MSWO implementation to pre-service special education teachers. Using a delayed multiple probe design, four pre-service teachers received remote BST consisting of instructional presentation, video modeling, guided practice, and individualized feedback. The dependent variable was procedural fidelity measured using a nine-step task analysis. All participants demonstrated immediate improvements from baseline (0%-80% accuracy) to 100% implementation fidelity following intervention. Skills maintained at 100% accuracy during 1-week follow-up. Social validity ratings revealed unanimous approval for training effectiveness (M = 5.0/5.0), although mixed ratings for future implementation likelihood (M = 4.0/5.0, range: 3-5). Remote BST was used to effectively train pre-service teachers to implement MSWO preference assessments with high fidelity and short-term maintenance. These findings provide initial evidence for remote training approaches in special education teacher preparation, although replication across diverse settings and with student populations is needed to establish broader generalizability.

Masked visual analysis (MVA) was developed to complement traditional visual analysis (TVA) and control for Type I error rates. Researchers have empirically tested MVA with generated data and simulated decisions. Our purpose was to evaluate the performance of MVA with real data and human raters. We asked visual analysts who had published at least one single-case research article (n = 36) to evaluate nine multiple-baseline-design-across-participants graphs. Graphs representing different target behaviors were displayed in masked and unmasked presentations. We evaluated the reliability and validity of MVA and TVA. Agreement within each method was similar to that reported in previous studies on visual analysis (MVA ICC = 0.625; TVA ICC = 0.579). Between the two methods, at least 75% of raters' decisions corresponded for six of nine graphs. We discuss the implications of incorporating MVA and future research on analytic methods for single-case experimental designs.

Crisis management programs are marketed to help special education professionals support students with disabilities who engage in challenging behavior. There is a critical need to appraise the evidence supporting these programs, particularly whether they benefit students in crisis intervention and prevention. This need is particularly urgent given documented misapplication and overuse of physical restraint, which is a common component of these programs. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the research in support of crisis management programs that target PK-12 students with disabilities who display challenging behavior in educational settings. We conducted database searches, ancestral searches, and website searches of organizations that produce crisis management programs to identify published and unpublished studies evaluating the programs. Our search process yielded just six studies evaluating five of 23 commercially available crisis management programs. Given the scarcity of supporting studies, none of the programs meet currently established thresholds for evidence-based practice in special education. Our review identifies a critical need for rigorous research on these programs to inform practice and policy, ensuring student safety and wellbeing. Consumers should exercise caution in adopting these programs based on claims made by the programs’ producers.

Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is a therapeutic approach involving ground-based activities with horses for personal and professional development. Manding (requesting) is a critical communication skill for autistic children that may be strengthened through naturalistic EAL contexts. This study evaluated the effects of an interrupted chain procedure for teaching manding skills within an EAL context using a single-case multiple-baseline design across five culturally diverse autistic children (ages 4–13 years) who provided assent to participate. The interrupted chain procedure involved systematically removing required items from a horse-dressing activity, creating motivating operations for participants to request missing materials. Effects were evaluated using visual analysis, the conservative dual criterion method, and between-case standardized mean difference (BC-SMD). A functional relation between the interrupted chain procedure and increased independent manding was demonstrated across all participants (BC-SMD = 1.64, 95

Given the importance of effective teaching to student achievement and teacher retention, teachers require sustained and efficient training in evidence-based practices. Performance feedback is one such practice explored extensively in the school psychology, applied behavior analysis, and special education literatures. Performance feedback interventions generally consist of multiple components such as classroom observation and delivery of contingent feedback, but also didactic training, modeling, and role plays. Single-case experimental design (SCED) is a rigorous methodology that is amenable to investigating effects of multicomponent training packages and their isolated characteristics. Although many SCED studies have been conducted investigating the effects of teacher performance feedback, it is unclear the extent to which specific intervention components are effective, for whom, and under what circumstances. To answer these questions, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of SCED research on teacher performance feedback. In the 52 included SCED studies, characteristic and quality variables were coded, and Log Response Ratio (LRR) effect sizes were estimated. Effect sizes were meta-analyzed using random effects multilevel modeling. The average effect of teacher performance feedback was found to be significant, with LRR = 1.15 (95 % CI = 0.68-1.62), corresponding to a 215 % change in teacher behavior (95 % CI = 97-406), indicating that performance feedback is an evidence-based professional development strategy for teachers. Our findings are contextualized for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Abstract Replication is essential for scientific progress. It describes the extent to which results of an experiment are repeated under conditions identical to (direct replication) or different from (systematic replication) an original experiment. Successful replication enhances credibility of previous research and sets the occasion for future scientific discovery. The “replication crisis” has been publicized across various scientific fields. It is the failure of researchers to replicate findings of prior studies, along with the lack of published replication studies appearing in a body of scientific literature, generally. Challenges with replication compromise trust in science and erode the public’s confidence in the capacity of researchers to address socially important problems. Several viable solutions to the replication crisis have been proposed. One of the most well publicized is the open science movement, comprising practices such as study preregistration and open data sharing to enhance the visibility and accessibility of research. Additionally, improved research practices (IRPs) have been identified as alternatives to questionable research practices (QRPs) aimed at reducing researcher degrees of freedom that inject bias into research. Finally, editorial practices adopted by journals, reviewers, and editors can increase adoption of open science practices and IRPs to support transparency and replication.

Single-case experimental design (SCED) is a quantitative research method widely used across diverse fields including behavioral education, special education, medicine, and applied behavior analysis. SCED methodology establishes external validity through a well-established sequential process: demonstrating strong internal validity within individual studies, followed by direct and systematic replication across varied populations, settings, and conditions. While this replication-based approach has proven highly successful as evidenced by robust intervention literature bases such as functional communication training and behavioral skills training the traditional process of accumulating replications across independent research teams can require years or decades. Inspired by the ManyLabs initiative’s success in coordinating replication efforts, we developed a sequential experimental design using dynamic Bayesian models to accelerate coordinated SCED research across laboratories. Applied to simulated and published multiple-baseline design data, our approach demonstrates how posterior distributions from completed cases can serve as priors for subsequent participants, creating cumulative knowledge building across research sites. Findings show that dynamic models effectively estimate intervention effects even when timing and effect sizes vary randomly. Parameter estimates converged to true effects after 15-25 coordinated cases, with credible intervals narrowing systematically as participants were added sequentially. This ManyLabs-inspired framework offers SCED researchers a pathway to accelerate the coordination of replications while maintaining the individualized focus and rigorous internal validity that make single-case designs valuable for evidence-based practice.

Visual analysis is the primary method to detect functional relations in single-case experimental design (SCED) research. Meta-Visual-Analysis (MVA) is a novel approach used to synthesize SCED data where the estimated effect size measures are principally anchored to primary aspects of visual analysis: change in the magnitude of level, trend, variability, and trend-adjusted level of projected trends. For each of these aspects, percentage point differences between baseline and intervention conditions are estimated and quantified for every participant across studies. MVA effect sizes are standardized, and their aggregates are graphically displayed in a manner similar to individual SCED graphs. MVA graphs are compared and visually analyzed with the aim of better understanding the effectiveness and generality of interventions across SCED studies. In this discussion paper we provide general steps to conduct an MVA and describe MVA’s utility in reviewing, organizing, and directing future SCED research syntheses.

Questionable research practices (QRPs) are methodological decisions motivated and reinforced by publication that can distort conclusions drawn from the scientific literature. This study surveyed 143 single-case experimental design (SCED) researchers from various backgrounds about their perceptions of QRPs and corresponding improved research practices (IRPs). Participants rated the problematic nature, prevalence, validity-enhancing potential, and feasibility of 64 QRP-IRP pairs. We found broad agreement that most QRPs undermine SCED research integrity, and IRPs could further enhance SCED validity. Exploratory analyses revealed a strong correlation between perceived QRP severity and likelihood of IRP adoption. However, variability existed in observed QRP prevalence and feasibility of IRP implementation. We discuss ways to increase awareness about QRPs and IRPs, potential journal editorial policy shifts, and SCED researcher development to strengthen transparency and rigor. Implications for advancing SCED methodology also are discussed with emphasis on fostering a culture of improved SCED transparency and rigor.

Researchers have identified questionable research practices that compromise replicability and validity of conclusions. However, this concept of questionable research practices has not been widely applied to single-case experimental designs (SCED). Moreover, to date researchers have focused little attention on improved research practices as alternatives to questionable practices. This article describes initial steps toward identifying questionable and improved research practices in SCED. Participants were 63 SCED researcher experts with varying backgrounds and expertise. They attended a 1-day virtual microconference with focus groups to solicit examples of questionable and improved research practices at different stages of the research process. A qualitative analysis of over 2,000 notes from the participants yielded shared perspectives, resulting in 64 pairs of questionable and improved research practices in SCED. Our results highlight the need for further evaluation and efforts to disseminate improved research practices as alternatives to questionable practices.

Self-determination is a latent variable that has been conceptualized differently across academic domains. Due to the variability in the conceptualization of self-determination interventions, a thorough exploration of the approaches is needed. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore the literature-base on self-determination interventions to establish if the strategy is an evidence-based practice for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. We examined whether self-determination is an evidence-based practice by evaluating the risk of bias and quantitative evidence available for qualifying interventions. Although case-level effect sizes varied, the results indicate that self-determination interventions were associated with significant behavioral changes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. However, approximately 12.5% of participants across studies had negative or negligible responses, suggesting the need to modify specific iterations based on student characteristics, environmental factors, and specific behavioral targets. The individual variability is consistent with the emphasis on individualization within special education and provides important guidance for teachers considering using the intervention to support students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Physical activity is a promising strategy for strengthening behavior and social engagement through its physiological and psychological benefits. Antecedent Exercise (AE) is a structured behavioral intervention aimed at mitigating meltdowns and promoting adaptive behaviors in Autistic individuals. This synthesis and multilevel meta-analysis of 34 studies, including diverse settings and exercise types, provides a nuanced examination of AE's effectiveness. AE demonstrated moderate efficacy with effect sizes of -0.342 (SE = 0.089, p < .005, 95% CI [-0.517, -0.168]) for reducing meltdowns, and a substantial improvement of 0.806 (SE = 0.166, p < .005, 95% CI [0.481, 1.13]) for increasing adaptive behaviors. Special education settings such as day centers and schools yielded robust outcomes, thus highlighting AE's effectiveness in an educational context. Interventions involving accessible activities like aerobic exercise routines and jogging also showed to be effective. Despite variability in study rigor and some indications of publication bias, AE appears to be a scalable intervention for educators and clinicians. Future research should address the long-term maintenance effects and optimal implementation strategies for maximizing AE's benefits in educational and clinical settings. This evidence supports the integration of AE into practices for improving the quality of life and educational outcomes for Autistic individuals.

Selective reporting is the exclusion of some study results from research reports, usually those that do not support claims of intervention effectiveness. Selective reporting inflates the perceived effects of an intervention and may mislead researchers and professionals to erroneous conclusions and courses of action. This registered report systematically investigated selective reporting in single-case experimental research studies in special education by comparing data and results reported in dissertation research published between 2010 and 2015 to respective published journal articles. Our search yielded 1,810 dissertations, of which 124 were published as journal articles and coded for discrepancies. Of the 41 dissertation-article pairs with discrepancies, we found 10 (8%) pairs that appeared to selectively report results for one or more participants and/or dependent variables. Published articles tended to report a greater number of experimental effects with larger effect sizes than dissertations. Researchers using single-case experimental designs should resist selective reporting and adopt open and transparent reporting practices.

Multielement designs are the quintessential design tactic to evaluate outcomes of a functional analysis in applied behavior analysis. Protecting the credibility of the data collection, graphing, and visual analysis processes from a functional analysis increases the likelihood that optimal intervention decisions are made for individuals. Time-series graphs and visual analysis are the most prevalent method used to interpret functional analysis data. The current project included two principal aims. First, we tested whether the graphical construction manipulation of the x-to-y axes ratio (i.e., data points per x- axis to y-axis ratio [DPPXYR]) influenced visual analyst’s detection of a function on 32 multielement design graphs displaying functional analyses. Second, we investigated the alignment between board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs; N = 59) visual analysis with the modified visual inspection criteria (Roane et al., Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 130-146, 2013). We found that the crossed GLMM that included random slopes, random intercepts, and did not include an interaction effect (AIC = 1406.1, BIC = 1478.2) performed optimally. Second, alignment between BCBAs decisions and the MVI appeared to be low across data sets. We also leveraged current best practices in Open Science for raw data and analysis transparency.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges with social skills when interacting with peers, which can affect their ability to form friendships and participate in inclusive settings. This study evaluated text messaging prompts and prompt fading delivered by a smart watch to increase social initiations of three adolescent students with ASD and their peers without ASD. We used a single-case, multiple probe across participants design to assess participants’ level of and type of independent and prompted appropriate social initiations without and with the intervention. Textual prompts substantially increased each participant’s social initiations compared to baseline. Two participants remained reliant on textual prompts to make initiations, whereas the third was less reliant on prompts and continued to make independent initiations after prompts were completely faded. Participants’ social skills gains maintained up to three weeks following intervention and participants and parents reported agreement with the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the strategy.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the branch of behavior science focused on solving problems of social significance. For over six decades, ABA researchers and practitioners have sought to improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through application of evidence-based supports. Influenced by the disability rights movement which gained momentum in 1970s and 80 s, the field of ABA has developed an array of procedures to enhance autonomy and choice of people with IDD. These include assessing individual preferences, teaching choice making, augmentative and alternative communication, and techniques for supporting greater self-control. We present behavior analytic definitions of autonomy and choice, illustrate how each of these strategies enable greater autonomy and choice of people with IDD, and discuss unresolved issues and future directions.

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience challenges with social skill interactions that may affect their quality of life. Given that parents are often the most frequent and constant presence in their child's life, parents serve a vital role in their child's social and behavioral development. For this reason, children may substantially benefit from effective and efficient parent-implemented behavior intervention to teach social skills. Using a multiple-baseline design, the Cool versus Not Cool (CNC) behavior intervention was taught via telehealth to three U.S. parents of adolescent males with ASD. Parents then subsequently implemented the CNC intervention to teach parent-selected social skills to their children. For all three parent-adolescent dyads, the CNC behavior intervention was implemented with fidelity by parents, and adolescents showed intervention gains. Findings maintained and generalized during probes and social validity outcomes reported by both parents and adolescents were favorable.