Role playing emerged as a form of behavioral assessment in the late 1970s. At the time, it was presented as the best means to estimate a patient's assertiveness skills in naturalistic settings. In a role play, an individual practices an observable behavior in the presence of a therapist as a means of assessment or intervention. In role play assessments, the aim is to determine the individual's skill level when engaging in the target behavior. In an intervention, a role play provides an opportunity for behavioral rehearsal and feedback to shape behavior in the desired direction.

As an assessment tool, role plays have the benefits of being brief and easy to implement, and they require few resources. Role playing eventually ...