title: It has been said that, "There are three degrees of falsehoods: lies, damn lies, and statistics".
abstract: Applied behavior analysis (ABA) researchers have historically eschewed population-based, inferential statistics, preferring to conduct and analyze repeated observations of each participant's responding under carefully controlled and manipulated experimental conditions using single-case designs (SCDs). In addition, early attempts to adapt traditional statistical procedures for use with SCDs often involved trade-offs between experimental and statistical control that most ABA researchers have found undesirable. The statistical methods recommended for use with SCDs in the current special issue represent a welcome departure from such prior suggestions in that the current authors are proposing that SCD researchers add statistical methods to their current practices in ways that do not alter traditional SCD practices. Further refinement and use of such methods would (a) facilitate the inclusion of research using SCDs in meta-analyses and (b) aid in the development and planning of grant-funded research using SCD methods. Collaboration between SCD researchers and statisticians, particularly on research that demonstrates the benefit of these methods, may help promote their acceptance and use in ABA.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Monroe-Meyer Institute, USA. Electronic address: WFisher@UNMC.Edu.
authors.forename: Wayne W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: University of Houston-Clear Lake, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothea C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lerman
mesh_terms: D035841:Behavioral Research / Q000592:standards*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Applied behavior analysis; Experimental analysis of behavior; Single-case designs