Which design rapidly alternates two or more distinct treatments while observing their effects on the target behavior?

• A. A-B-A Design
• B. ABAB Design
• C. Alternating Treatment Design
• D. Aversive Stimulus

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is the alternating treatments design, a multielement approach in which two or more distinct treatments are rapidly alternated across sessions while you observe the target behavior. This setup lets you compare the effects of each treatment within the same subject and setting, controlling for many outside factors because conditions stay consistent while the treatment changes. By switching treatments quickly, you can see which one produces the desired change in behavior more effectively and how fast that change occurs. It’s a fast, within-subject way to evaluate relative treatment effectiveness without prolonged baseline or withdrawal phases. This differs from designs that require returning to a previous condition or removing a treatment. An aversive stimulus isn’t a design for comparing treatments, so it’s not what this item describes.