This document discusses behavioral assessment in clinical psychology. It begins with a brief history of behaviorism and then discusses how behavioral assessment differs from traditional assessment by focusing on samples of observable behavior rather than internal processes. Two key models for behavioral assessment are described: the SORC model and the ABC model, which analyze antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. Behavioral assessment uses methods like interviews, observation, self-monitoring, and checklists and is an ongoing part of the treatment process rather than a one-time event. Challenges to the reliability and validity of behavioral assessment are also noted.

2. BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT
PRESENTED TO: DR ASGHAR
PRESENTED BY: SIDRA AKHTAR

3. 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

4. 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

5. DIFFERENCES FROM TRADITIONAL
ASSESSMENT
1. Interested in samples of behavior, not behavior as
a sign of internal processes
2. Functional Analysis, a very concrete method, is
employed to understand behavior
3. 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)

6. 1. 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

7. 2. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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

12. SIMILAR TO SORC: ABC
 A = Antecedent – similar to “situation”
 B = Behavior – similar to “response”
 C = Consequence – outcome

13. 3. 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

14. BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT METHODS
 Behavioral Interviews
 Observational methods
 Naturalistic Observation
 Controlled Observation
 Controlled Performance Techniques
 Self-Monitoring
 Role-playing
 Inventories, Checklists
 Cognitive-Behavioral Assessments

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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!

23. 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.

24. 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