Response to Salzberg, Strain, and Baer

The response of Salzberg, Strain, and Baer criticizes our method for being insensitive to the complexities of single-subject data, and provides an example of a more traditional, narrative review as a positive alternative. We restate our original position that such narrative review procedures are of limited utility unless objective standards for evaluating study outcomes have been explicitly stated, and that without such standards, evaluation of the objectivity and replicability of the review cannot be made. We also take exception to their characterization that our method is “time-efficient” and constitutes a “one-number summary” of research literature. We conclude with the hope that debate continue regarding objective, systematic procedures for reviewing single-subject literature.