Single subject experiments

Instrumentation and analytics for body and soul. Quantified self. DIY precision medicine.

January 11, 2022 — December 26, 2023

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Figure 1

Other people have written much more about principled single-subject experimentation, esp. self-experimentation. Here are some links though.

Obligatory: The tragic morality fable, Seth Roberts’ Final Column: Butter Makes Me Smarter.

1 Experiment design

2 Data collection

2.1 Activity

I mention some activity-monitoring strategies under time management.

2.2 Subjective things

Measuring moods? See the Experience Sampling Method (Verhagen et al. 2016; Hektner, Schmidt, and Csikszentmihalyi 2007) or Swan (2013).

2.3 Bio-markers

See bio-markers.

3 Tools

  • A set of watchers that record relevant information about what you do and what happens on your computer (such as if you are AFK or not, or which window is currently active).
  • A way of storing data collected by the watchers.
  • A data format accommodating most logging needs due to its flexibility.
  • An ecosystem of tools to help users extend the software to fit their needs.

4 Incoming

Figure 2

5 References

Backman, and Harris. 1999. “Case studies, single-subject research, and N of 1 randomized trials: comparisons and contrasts.” American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Barlow, Nock, and Hersen. 2009. Single Case Experimental Designs: Strategies for Studying Behavior for Change.
Brien, and Demétrio. 2009. “Formulating Mixed Models for Experiments, Including Longitudinal Experiments.” Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics.
Chapple, and Blackston. 2019. “Finding Benefit in n-of-1 Trials.” JAMA Internal Medicine.
Chrisinger. 2020. “The Quantified Self-in-Place: Opportunities and Challenges for Place-Based N-of-1 Datasets.” Frontiers in Computer Science.
Corti, Reddy, Choi, et al. 2015. “The Researcher as Experimental Subject: Using Self-Experimentation to Access Experiences, Understand Social Phenomena, and Stimulate Reflexivity.” Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science.
Daskalova, Desingh, Papoutsaki, et al. 2017. “Lessons Learned from Two Cohorts of Personal Informatics Self-Experiments.” Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.
Daza, Eric J. 2018. “Causal Analysis of Self-Tracked Time Series Data Using a Counterfactual Framework for N-of-1 Trials*.” Methods of Information in Medicine.
Daza, Eric Jay. 2019. “Person as Population: A Longitudinal View of Single-Subject Causal Inference for Analyzing Self-Tracked Health Data.”
Dugard, File, and Todman. 2012. Single-Case and Small-n Experimental Designs: A Practical Guide To Randomization Tests, Second Edition.
Dulaud, Di Loreto, and Mottet. 2020. “Self-Quantification Systems to Support Physical Activity: From Theory to Implementation Principles.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Feng, Mäntymäki, Dhir, et al. 2021. “How Self-Tracking and the Quantified Self Promote Health and Well-Being: Systematic Review.” Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Fitzmaurice, and Ravichandran. 2008. “A Primer in Longitudinal Data Analysis.” Circulation.
Ganz, and Ayres. 2018. “Methodological Standards in Single-Case Experimental Design: Raising the Bar.” Research in Developmental Disabilities.
Hektner, Schmidt, and Csikszentmihalyi. 2007. Experience Sampling Method: Measuring the Quality of Everyday Life. Experience Sampling Method: Measuring the Quality of Everyday Life.
Heyen. 2020. “From Self-Tracking to Self-Expertise: The Production of Self-Related Knowledge by Doing Personal Science.” Public Understanding of Science.
Janosky, Leininger, Hoerger, et al. 2009. Single Subject Designs in Biomedicine.
Johnston, and Mills. 2004. “N-of-1 Randomized Controlled Trials: An Opportunity for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Evaluation.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Karkar, Zia, Vilardaga, et al. 2016. “A Framework for Self-Experimentation in Personalized Health.” Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Kazdin. 2020. Single-Case Research Designs: Methods for Clinical and Applied Settings.
McDonald, Vieira, and Johnston. 2020. “Analysing N-of-1 Observational Data in Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine: A 10-Step SPSS Tutorial for Beginners.” Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine.
Moeyaert, Manolov, and Rodabaugh. 2020. “Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Research via Multilevel Models: Fundamental Concepts and Methodological Considerations.” Behavior Modification.
Ordovas, Ferguson, Tai, et al. 2018. “Personalised Nutrition and Health.” BMJ.
Pelayo. 2015. “Design and Application of Quantified Self Approaches for Reflective Learning in the Workplace.”
Percha, Baskerville, Johnson, et al. 2019. “Designing Robust N-of-1 Studies for Precision Medicine: Simulation Study and Design Recommendations.”
Roberts. 2004. “Self-Experimentation as a Source of New Ideas: Ten Examples about Sleep, Mood, Health, and Weight.” Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
Senn. 2018. “Statistical Pitfalls of Personalized Medicine.” Nature.
Simons, Harrison, O’Brien, et al. 2019. “Graded Exposure Treatment for Adolescents with Chronic Pain (GET Living): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Enhanced with Single Case Experimental Design.” Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications.
Swan. 2013. “The Quantified Self: Fundamental Disruption in Big Data Science and Biological Discovery.” Big Data.
Taylor, Sano, Ferguson, et al. 2018. “QuantifyMe: An Open-Source Automated Single-Case Experimental Design Platform.” Sensors (Basel, Switzerland).
Verhagen, Hasmi, Drukker, et al. 2016. “Use of the Experience Sampling Method in the Context of Clinical Trials.” Evidence-Based Mental Health.
Vieira, McDonald, Araújo-Soares, et al. 2017. “Dynamic Modelling of n-of-1 Data: Powerful and Flexible Data Analytics Applied to Individualised Studies.” Health Psychology Review.
Wicks. 2018. “Patient, Study Thyself.” BMC Medicine.
Zarbin, and Novack. 2021. “N-of-1 Clinical Trials: A Scientific Approach to Personalized Medicine for Patients with Rare Retinal Diseases Such as Retinitis Pigmentosa.” Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Zenner, Böttinger, and Konigorski. 2022. “StudyMe: A New Mobile App for User-Centric N-of-1 Trials.” Trials.
Zuidersma, Riese, Snippe, et al. 2020. “Single-Subject Research in Psychiatry: Facts and Fictions.” Frontiers in Psychiatry.