When the observations in the initial baseline phase show a trend in the direction of improved behavior, the researcher should ____.
A) administer the treatment immediately
B) manipulate the environment until the change stops
C) increase the intensity of the treatment
D) refrain from introducing the treatment

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the observations in the initial baseline phase show a trend in the direction of improved behavior, the researcher should refrain from introducing the treatment. This is because the improvement may be due to other factors such as regression to the mean, and introducing the treatment may lead to false conclusions about the effectiveness of the treatment. Instead, the researcher should continue to observe the behavior in the baseline phase to confirm the trend before introducing the treatment.

When the Observations in the Initial Baseline Phase Show a Trend