The Applied Behaviour Analysis and Research Methodology are an indivisible combination, in any field of application (ergonomics, organization, education, clinical); The epistemological model underlying is, indeed, for its specific features, an evidence based model. Therefore, the knowledge of principles and of methodological techniques represents an inescapable prerequisite for anyone who wants to operate in the psychological field, especially for the ones adhering to the behavioral field.

The research in applied psychology, despite having its own technical specificities, does not deviate substantially from the scientifical preconditions of experimental research. The behavior modification is the result of the manipulation of those variables (antecedent, consequent and contextual) that, is assumed, are able to exercise control on it.

The purpose of the method is to describe, evaluate and interpret the relationships between variables; to estrapolate the functional aspects and, as far as possible, to generalize the results of the completed analysis. For this reason, is important to add, to the several usable methodological models, some refined statistical procedures for the elaboration of data, able to guide toward an accurate enough interpretation of the interventions’ results, in efficiency and maintenance over time terms.

Director

Prof. Rosalba Larcan

Full Professor in Development and Educational Psychology, Department of Cognitive Sciences, Psychological, Educational and Cultural Studies – University of Messina (Italy).

Phone: +39 0906766082

E-mail: larcan@unime.it

Suggested books:

• Larcan, R., Cuzzocrea, F. (2007) Misurare e valutare il cambiamento, Ed. Aracne, Roma, pp. 205 – ISBN: 88-548-0784-2

Suggested articles:

• Larcan, R., Cuzzocrea, F., Oliva, P. (2008). A way to verify the treatment efficacy on single case or small groups. In: European Association of Methodology. III European Congress of Methodology. (vol.1, pp. 87). OVIEDO: Ediciones de la Universidad de Oviedo (Spain). ISBN: 978-84-8317-717-4.
• Caracciolo, E., Larcan, R., Camma’M. (1986). Il test C: un modello statistico per l’analisi clinica e sperimentale di dati in serie temporali relativi ad un soggetto singolo (N=1). Bollettino di Psicologia Applicata, 175, 41-53 – ISSN: 0006-6761