Introduction of Single Subject Designs as New Experimental Designs. (III). Internal validity and external validity / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The present-paper discussed about the internal and external validity in single subject designs. Firstly, intrasubject replication was introduced as a method to increase the internal validity of single subject data. Secondly, it was pointed out that direct replication and systematic replication are effective in evaluating the external validity, and the experimental design for the direct replication and the systematic replication within a single experiment was introduced. Thirdly, the methods for dealing with individual differences which came out in repeating the replication were discussed. Finally, the theoretical differences between group comparison designs and single subject designs on the external validity were pointed out, and the merits of single subject designs in the clinical research of acupuncture were discussed.