How do I conduct a single-case research design?

• Observe behavior during baseline and treatment

Similar to quasi-experimental designs, single-case researchers frequently cannot control all the important variables in the research. For example, suppose a psychologist works with a family to help treat a 6-year-old child’s impulsive behavior. The psychologist’s research question might be whether a specific treatment helps the child to "stop and think" before acting. The psychologist and family may first observe what the child’s behavior is like without the treatment; this is called baseline observation. The psychologist then begins treatment, with the hope of improving the child’s behavior and concluding that the treatment caused the improvement. Chapters 3 and 15 of your clinical psychology textbook provide a more detailed discussion of the use of single-case designs in clinical psychology research.

Can I make a claim that a treatment causes a client to improve?