Ledford Jennifer R
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA.
Perspect Behav Sci. 2022 Jun 3;45(3):661-666. doi: 10.1007/s40614-022-00342-1. eCollection 2022 Sep.
Slocum et al. (this issue) provide well-reasoned arguments for the use of nonconcurrent multiple baseline designs in behavior analytic work, despite historical preference for concurrent designs (i.e., simultaneous baseline initiation) and contemporary guidelines in related fields suggesting that nonconcurrent designs are insufficient for evaluating functional relations (What Works Clearinghouse, 2020). I provide a commentary, highlighting major contributions of this article and suggesting areas of further consideration. In sum, I agree with authors that researchers should avoid wholesale dismissal of nonconcurrent designs. I also agree that understanding how multiple-baseline designs control for and allow for detection of threats to internal validity is critical so that authors can apply the variation of the design that allows them to draw confident conclusions about relations between independent and dependent variables.
斯洛克姆等人（本期）为在行为分析工作中使用非同期多重基线设计提供了合理的论据，尽管历史上更倾向于同期设计（即同时开始基线），且相关领域的当代指南表明非同期设计不足以评估功能关系（有效方法信息中心，2020年）。我撰写此评论，强调本文的主要贡献，并提出进一步思考的领域。总之，我同意作者的观点，即研究人员应避免完全摒弃非同期设计。我也认同理解多重基线设计如何控制并允许检测对内部效度的威胁至关重要，这样作者就能应用该设计的变体，从而对自变量和因变量之间的关系得出可靠结论。
