Which design compares two or more treatment conditions by alternating them in a rapid sequence?

• A. Reversal
• B. Alternating Treatment
• C. Withdrawal
• D. Single Subject Design

Answer: (B)

Alternating treatments design compares two or more treatment conditions by rapidly alternating them, allowing a direct within-subject comparison of their effects on the target behavior. By presenting different contingencies in close succession and recording how the behavior changes in each condition, you can see which treatment yields the better outcome under nearly identical situational factors. This rapid alternation helps control for time-related or maturational variables, making the observed differences more likely due to the treatments themselves. It provides a quick way to screen multiple interventions without withdrawing or reversing treatments. In practice, treatments are switched across trials or short blocks, and data are graphed by condition to reveal which option produces the desired change.