title: Single case design studies in music therapy: resurrecting experimental evidence in small group and individual music therapy clinical settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The profession would benefit from greater and routine generation of causal evidence pertaining to the impact of music therapy interventions on client outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  One way to meet this goal is to revisit the use of Single Case Designs (SCDs) in clinical practice and research endeavors in music therapy. Given the appropriate setting and goals, this design can be accomplished with small sample sizes and it is often appropriate for studying music therapy interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article, we promote and discuss implementation of SCD studies in music therapy settings, review the meaning of internal study validity and by extension the notion of causality, and describe two of the most commonly used SCDs to demonstrate how they can help generate causal evidence to inform the field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In closing, we describe the need for replication and future meta-analysis of SCD studies completed in music therapy settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCD studies are both feasible and appropriate for use in music therapy clinical practice settings, particularly for testing effectiveness of interventions for individuals or small groups.
authors.affiliation: Ohio University Indiana University geistk@ohio.edu.
authors.forename: Kamile
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geist
authors.affiliation: Ohio University Indiana University.
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018401:Sample Size
keywords: ABAB Design; Causal Evidence in Music Therapy; Meta-Analysis of Single Case Designs; Multiple Baseline Design; Single Case Design