Single-Subject Case Study

A single-subject case study is a research methodology that focuses on detailed observation and analysis of one individual (or a small number of individuals) over time, rather than comparing group averages. Widely used in brain injury rehabilitation and clinical practice, this approach tracks changes in an individual's performance before, during, and after an intervention to establish whether the intervention is effective. In assistive technology research, single-subject designs are particularly valuable because the diversity of disabilities makes group comparisons difficult — each person's combination of abilities and deficits may be unique, requiring individualized solutions whose effectiveness can best be measured at the individual level.