Clinical Psychology

environment) is important to assess because of the
relevance to treatment planning and the setting of
realistic treatment goals. An evaluation of client
resources, such as skills, level of motivation, beliefs,
and expectations, is also important. As noted by
Peterson and Sobell (1994), the initial assessments
of diagnosis/maladaptive behaviors, treatment con-
text, and client resources will naturally lead to a
data-based initial treatment plan. This plan involves
collaborative (patient and therapist) goal setting as
well as mutually agreed-upon criteria to indicate
improvement. Formal assessments of treatment
progress serve as ongoing feedback as well as ave-
nues for building the patient’s self-efficacy as prog-
ress is made. Assessment following completion of
treatment provides objective data regarding the
patient’s end-state functioning, which can then be
compared to data from the pretreatment assessment.
Finally, thorough assessment throughout all these

stages will provide information regarding the likeli-

hood of symptom recurrence, including identifica-

tion of“high-risk”environments that may lead to

relapse.

Peterson and Sobell (1994) argue that this

model of behavioral assessment has great potential

to bridge the often wide gap between behavioral

research and clinical practice. As we shall discuss

in Chapter 14, the field of behavior therapy is

unique in its emphasis on data-based decision mak-

ing throughout all phases of treatment. Therefore,

behavioral assessment is not a luxury but a necessity.

With these notions in mind, we now turn to an

examination of some of the more common behav-

ioral assessment methods.

Behavioral Interviews

Obviously, one cannot begin a functional analysis

or develop a program of behavioral treatment

before one has at least a general notion of what

the problem is. Yoman (2008) makes the case that

an important first step in functional analysis is to

define the“ultimate outcomes”of desired behavior

change. In other words, the behavior therapist asks

the client about the hoped-for results and, for each

successive response, queries about the intended

result of that change. This interview will result in

a chain of behavior changes and results or conse-

quences that can then inform the therapist about

how short-term consequences of behavior change

may be tied to long-term consequences or“ulti-

mate outcomes.” Typically, ultimate outcomes

involve consequences like happiness, life satisfac-

tion, or making the world a better place (Yoman,

2008). By going through such an exercise, the cli-

ent’s priorities for behavior therapy become clearer,

and the therapist can identify his or her own skills

and expertise that can be helpful as well as map out

short-term obstacles to achieving these end goals.

To conduct the formal functional analysis, the

behavioral clinician is likely to turn to that old

standby, the interview, which is the clinician’s

best and most durable friend. During behavioral

Treatment planning/

goal setting

Initial assessment

Iterative Model: The Role of

Assessment within Behavior Therapy

Monitoring treatment

progress

Treatment

completion

Maintenance of

treatment gains

Treatment

context

Diagnosis Client

resources

F I G U R E 9-1 Model of the role of behavioral assess-
ment within behavior therapy.

SOURCE: Peterson, L., & Sobell, L. C. (1994). Introduction to the state-of-the
art review series: Research contributions to clinical assessment.Behavior Ther-
apy, 25 , 523–531. Copyright © 1994 by Elsevier. Reprinted with permission.

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 259