1. Behavioral Assessment

2. History Behaviorism beginning in 1930’s
Pavlov: Pavlovian or classical conditioning
B.F. Skinner (most noteworthy work 1953)
Skinner box for rat learning research
Operant or response-stimulus (RS) conditioning

3. Behavioral Assessment Context in Clinical Psych
Grows from Behavior Theory / Learning Theory
Aspects of it can be easily combined with other forms of assessment – very common to do so
Differs from traditional assessment (clinical interview and testing) in 3 ways

4. Differences from traditional assessment
Interested in samples of behavior, not behavior as a sign of internal processes
Functional Analysis, a very concrete method, is employed to understand behavior
Assessment is an ongoing, active part of all phases of treatment (not just always in the back of clinician’s mind, as in other types of treatment)

5. Sample vs. Sign
In behavioral assessment, test / interview responses are interpreted as “samples” of behavior that are thought to generalize to other situations
In traditional assessment (even psychodynamic), we interpret test data as “signs” of internal processes

6. Functional Behavioral Analysis (also called Functional Analysis)
Derived from Skinner’s work with SR (stimulus-response) learning
SORC model
ABC model (very similar)
Isolates a target behavior for analysis and understanding in a very concrete, prescripted manor

7. SORC model for conceptualizing a behavior
S = stimulus or “antecedent” factors which occur before target behavior
O = organismic variables relevant to target behavior
R = the response = the target behavior
C = consequences of target behavior

8. Elaboration of “O” Organismic
Physical / medical / physiological, cognitive / psychological aspects of the client
…that are relevant to treating the target behavior

9. Example of SORC model
S – Stimulus: a child is ignored by her peers in class
(O – Organismic: the child has previously been diagnosed with ADHD)
R – Response: She increases the volume of her voice (i.e., yells)
C – Consequences: her peers pay attention to her, some role their eyes

10. Similar to SORC: ABC A = Antecedent – similar to “situation”
B = Behavior – similar to “response”
C = Consequence – outcome

11. Is an ongoing & active process, through all points of behavioral therapy: initial assessment, therapy, and evaluation of improvement
Assessment is an ongoing process in almost all clinical orientations, in that it’s almost always in the “back” of clinician’s mind.
Ex: Hmm, I thought Mr. Z had depression, but now he’s exhibiting more anxious symptoms; I wonder if this is more a mixed anxiety-depression sydrome.
In behavioral assessment, is a planned & integral part of entire therapeutic process

12. Behavioral Assessment Methods
Behavioral Interviews
Observational methods
Naturalistic Observation
Controlled Observation
Controlled Performance Techniques
Self-Monitoring
Role-playing
Inventories, Checklists
Cognitive-Behavioral Assessments

13. Behavioral Interviews
Behavioral interviews: ask questions focused on target behaviors
Goal: help clinician gain general perspective of problem behavior and the variables that perpetuate it
Understand antecedent factors
May use structured diagnostic interview (relatively new development)
Not different from traditional interview in format, only in focus.

14. Observation: a primary technique
Observational methods (as opposed to self-report) provide a sample of behavior in naturalistic OR controlled conditions
Fewer problems in research than therapy
Naturalistic: at home or school, in a hospital, or in therapy
Controlled: situational tests that approximate real life

15. Controlled Performance Techniques
Similar to controlled observational methods, except that the observer interferes more
do not approximate real life, but may be analogous to or heighten aspects of real life (pressure, interpersonal challenges, presence of phobic stimuli)
Contrived situations
Potential for standardization across individuals

16. Self-monitoring techniques
Have client observe their own behaviors, thoughts, and emotions
chance of bias?
Typically more part of treatment than assessment for this reason
Clients keep list of observations in similar fashion as SORC or ABC
Dysfunctional Thought Record DTR is most common of self-monitoring in clinical setting

17. EMA Special kind of self-monitoring Ecological Momentary Assessment
Real-time assessment using a PDA
Increasingly used in research
Example: for assessment of emotions & cognitions associated with eating habits, participants may be asked to answer questions on the PDA each time it beeps (set randomly ~3x day), and before and after all meals and snacks

18. Role Playing Controlled-setting for “safety”
Provide a scenario for client to act out, possibly with a clinical assistant or the therapist
Benefit: therapeutic since it’s practice in a safe setting plus provides ongoing assessment

19. Inventories, checklists
E.g., child behavior checklist CBCL
Parent, peer, self, teacher rate on a list of behaviors
Usually multiple raters
Questionnaire format
Often have multiple “factors” in checklist
E.g., aggressive, depressed, anxious behaviors
Benefit: they offer a quantitative measure!

20. Cognitive-Behavioral Assessments
Add component of conscious & remembered “thoughts” as an additional type of behavior to assess
Example: Beck Depression Inventory
Asks questions about behaviors such as sleep, appetite, decision making related to decision
But also thoughts: negative thoughts about self, thoughts about death, etc.

21. Challenges to validity and reliability
Reliability & validity influenced by
complexity of behavior observed
level of training, experience of observer(s)
unit of analysis chosen & coding system used
influence of observation on target (problematic) behavior
generalizability of observations to other settings/situations