Behavioral Assessment

Behavioral assessment is defined as an assessment process that seeks to understand behavior and critical environmental variables that increase or decrease the likelihood of its occurrence. In contrast to traditional assessment procedures, behavioral assessment relies on low-inference, idiographic (comparisons to that individual's previous level of behavior) procedures, and has as its primary objectives the development and evaluation of appropriate treatments and interventions to ameliorate presenting problems.

In addition to the above characteristics (i.e., idiographic, low-inference, and treatment-driven), there are other defining characteristics of behavioral assessment. One is the assessment of situational–environmental variables influencing behavior, including information about events that occur right before the problem behavior (antecedents) and events that occur right after the problem behavior (consequences). Another characteristic of behavioral assessment is the use of multiple methods (e.g., interviews, observations across settings, rating scales) and multiple informants (e.g., parents, teachers, and the child). Using multiple methods and multiple informants is essential for obtaining information that is thorough enough to result in suitable treatment decisions.

Behavioral assessment is an ongoing process requiring repeated measurements. The assessment procedures are used not only to guide intervention development, but also to monitor all phases of an intervention. Prior to intervention development, a baseline of target behaviors is measured to assist in the development of an appropriate intervention plan and to set a criterion against which intervention effects are compared. Once the intervention, or treatment program, is implemented, frequent measures of behavior continue in order to evaluate the intervention. Appropriate intervention evaluation includes data collection throughout treatment leading to a decision of whether or not a desired behavior change resulted from the intervention.

The process of behavioral assessment has been viewed as analogous to the problem-solving process made popular in the school psychology and behavioral consultation literature. The problem-solving process can be defined as a number of phases that incorporate assessment and treatment. Most problem-solving models include four phases: problem identification and analysis, intervention design, intervention implementation, and intervention evaluation/follow-up.

The problem identification and analysis phase involves defining the nature and scope of the problem behavior. During this phase, information is gathered using multiple methods and informants to determine whether problem behaviors are in excess or deficit. If a behavior is in excess, analysis of the antecedents and consequences maintaining the behavior is conducted. If the behavior is a deficit, an analysis of whether the behavior is an acquisition deficit (i.e., the child does not have the skill to demonstrate the behavior) or performance deficit (i.e., the child possesses the skill, but is not demonstrating the behavior) is conducted. Once the problem has been identified, an appropriate intervention is designed to target the problem behavior. It is important to design an intervention that is individualized to the child and based on empirically validated treatments. Once the appropriate intervention is determined, it is implemented as designed. Assessment continues through frequent measures of the behaviors identified in the first phase of the process. In the final stage, the intervention is evaluated and decisions are made as to whether to continue the intervention as designed, to modify the intervention, or to select another one entirely. In this phase, follow-up measures are also taken to assess the effectiveness of the intervention over time.

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