The component analysis experimental method: A mapping of the literature base

ABSTRACT

A component analysis is a process that includes the addition or subtraction of individual intervention components while continuing to measure behavior change. Component analysis single case research experimentation is used in many of the social science fields including Applied Behavior Analysis. Yet, this design is used less than other single case research designs such as the multiple baseline design. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to map the scientific literature base pertaining to the component analysis single case research design. The present comprehensive review examined the use of component analyses in the scientific and gray literature. The authors identified 177 studies that met inclusion and were evaluated. Results indicate that most studies using component analysis experimental designs are published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and focused on non-punishment-based procedures. Additionally, the review demonstrates that outside of the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, component analyses are not widely used as an experimental method. The authors recommend expanding the use of component analyses outside of behavior analysis and examining the quality of studies in future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavior
• component analysis
• single-case research design
• applied behavior analysis
• experimentation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15021149.2023.2297332