1. THE BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT THROUGH INTERVIEWS, INVENTORIES AND
CHECK LISTS
BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT
Careful assessment lies at the heart of all clinical interventions. Same is the case, when using the
behavioral theoretical model in therapy. The emphasis on making a careful assessment of the patient and
his life circumstances before, during, and following treatment is one of the most distinguishing features
of the various clinical procedures.
DEFINITION OF BEHAVIOR
There are two broad categories of behavior which have been recognized by most behavior therapists.
These categories are respondents and operants.
Respondents are the antecedent-controlled behaviors which function in a reflexive manner. They are
the most stereotyped kinds of behaviors, having relatively fixed patterns across populations as well as
within individuals. Respondents include
Somatic reflexes
Emotional reactions and other responses of the smooth muscles, glands, and heart, and
Sensations
Each sub-type of respondent may be elicited by appropriate unconditioned stimuli. For example, a
sudden, unexpected noise may cause a person to hear the noise (an auditory sensation), to jump (a
somatic reflex), and to be afraid momentarily (an emotional reaction). Such unconditioned responses
may be conditioned to occur in response to previously neutral stimuli.
Operants include
Actions
Instrumental responses of the smooth muscles, glands, heart and
Cognitions
Whereas respondents are antecedent-controlled behaviors, operants are consequence-controlled. In case
of respondent behavior, the environment produces changes in the patient's behavior; but in the case of
operant behavior, the patient's behavior produces changes in his world.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
The basic tasks of the behavior therapist in performing an assessment are to identify, classify, prophesy
(predict), specify and evaluate. The specific tasks under each of these general tasks and the procedures
needed to perform them are described below.
Identify
The behavior therapist needs to identify all of the antecedents which are affecting the patient's target
behaviors; the respondents which are of concern to the patient; the operants which are of concern to the
patient; the consequences which currently follow the designated operants; and those consequences
which could be programmed into the therapy plan to benefit the patient. The therapist also needs to
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