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. 2025 Jan 8;48(1):133-144.
doi: 10.1007/s40614-024-00428-y. eCollection 2025 Mar.

The Compound Multiple-Baseline Design

Lindsay A Lloveras  1   2 , Savannah A Tate  3   4 , Timothy R Vollmer  5 , Nicole E Gravina  5 , Jesse Dallery  5
Affiliations

The Compound Multiple-Baseline Design

Lindsay A Lloveras et al. Perspect Behav Sci. .

Abstract

The multiple-baseline design is a predominant experimental design in applied behavior-analytic research. Despite its strengths, when baseline lengths are assigned a priori, it is possible that the independent variable may be implemented when baseline data are trending in the same direction that is anticipated for positive treatment outcomes, thus threatening experimental control. A partial solution to this problem is to modify the traditional multiple-baseline design and stagger baselines across more than one dimension (e.g., across both individuals and settings). The purpose of this article is to describe the historical underpinnings of this approach, to highlight more recent uses of the design, and to emphasize possible areas suitable for application.

Keywords: Compound multiple baseline; Experimental control; Experimental design; Multiple baseline design.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of InterestThe authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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