Single-Case Research Methods in Sport and Exercise Psychology

225 Pages·2011·1.34 MB·English

by  Jamie Barker

Single-CaSe ReSeaRCh MethodS in
SpoRt and exeRCiSe pSyChology
Single-case research is a powerful method for examining change in outcome
variables such as behaviour, performance and psychological constructs, and
for assessing the efficacy of interventions. It has innumerable uses within the
context of sport and exercise science/psychology, such as in the development
of more effective performance techniques for athletes and sportspeople and
in helping us to better understand exercise behaviours in clinical populations.
However, the fundamental principles and techniques of single-case research
have not always been clearly understood by students and researchers working
in these fields.
Single-Case Research Methods in Sport and Exercise Psychology is the first book to
fully explain single-case research in the context of sport and exercise. Starting
with first principles, the book offers a comprehensive introduction to the
single-case research process, from study design to data analysis and presenta-
tion. Including examples from across sport and exercise psychology, the book
provides practical guidance for students and researchers and demonstrates the
advantages and common pitfalls of single-case research for anybody working in
applied or behavioural science in a sport or exercise setting.
Jamie Barker is Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology in the
Department of Sport and Exercise, Staffordshire University, UK.
Paul McCarthy is a Lecturer in Psychology in the Department of Psychology,
Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
Marc Jones is Reader in Sport and Exercise Psychology in the Department of
Sport and Exercise, Staffordshire University, UK.
Aidan Moran is Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the
Psychology Research Laboratory at University College, Dublin, Republic of
Ireland.

Single-CaSe ReSeaRCh
MethodS in SpoRt
and exeRCiSe
pSyChology
Jamie Barker, Paul McCarthy,
Marc Jones and Aidan Moran
First published 2011
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2011.
To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s
collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.
© 2011 Jamie Barker, Paul McCarthy, Marc Jones and Aidan Moran
The right of Jamie Barker, Paul McCarthy, Marc Jones and Aidan Moran
to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Single case research methods in sport and exercise psychology/by Jamie
Barker. . . [et al.].
p. cm.
1. Sports–Psychological aspects. 2. Sports psychology. 3. Sports injuries–
Psychological aspects. 4. Exercise–Psychological aspects. 5. Sports
medicine. I. Barker, Jamie.
GV706.4.S544 2011
796.01–dc22
2010041818
ISBN 0-203-86188-4 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN: 978-0-415-56511-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-56512-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-86188-2 (ebk)
For emma, lucy, Mum and dad, with love – Jamie
For lesley and liam, for all time – paul
to helen, Molly and the rest of my family, for all your
love and support – Marc
to angela and Kevin, with all my love – aidan

ContentS
List of illustrations ix
Foreword xii
Preface xv
Acknowledgements xvii
1 Introduction to single-case research 1
2 History and philosophy of single-case research in sport and exercise 14
3 General procedures in single-case research 25
4 Assessing behaviour in sport and exercise 46
5 The withdrawal design in sport and exercise 63
6 Multiple-baseline designs in sport and exercise 85
7 The changing-criterion design in sport and exercise 108
8 The alternating-treatments design in sport and exercise 125
9 Analysing data in single-case research 145
viii Contents
10 Single-case research in sport and exercise 167
References 179
Index 195
illUStRationS
Figures
1.1 Stress inoculation and gymnastics 4
1.2 Hypnosis and soccer performance 6
1.3 Pre- and post-intervention soccer self-efficacy 7
1.4 Pre- and post-intervention positive affect scores 7
1.5 Psychometric data collected from a professional soccer player 8
1.6 Pre- and post-intervention soccer performance scores 8
3.1 A stable baseline – hypothetical race time data from a female
100-metre runner 36
3.2 A variable baseline – hypothetical data on the runs scored by a
county cricket batsman 36
3.3 A decreasing baseline – hypothetical data on the number of
times per month a recreational exerciser went jogging 37
3.4 An increasing baseline – hypothetical data on the number
of aggressive outbursts towards officials per game for a male
field hockey player 37
3.5 Averaged data – hypothetical data on the runs scored by a
county cricket batsman before and after an intervention to
alter his stance 38
3.6 Variable data – hypothetical data on the runs scored by a
county cricket batsman before and after an intervention to
alter his stance 39
3.7 Pre- and post-intervention data – hypothetical data on the
average runs scored by a county cricket batsman before and
after an intervention to alter his stance 44
5.1 The A–B phase change 66