The Challenge Faced by Behavioral Assessment

We argue in this paper that the rise of syndromal classification, the weak development of functional analysis, and the continuing failure to measure psychological health are three key problems facing behavioral assessment as a field. Syndromal classification is gradually undermining the theoretical rationale for behavioral assessment and is instead relegating it to a relatively minor content area. This in turn is threatening the dismemberment of behavioral assessment as an area. We argue that for behavioral assessment to survive it must foster itself as a comprehensive approach to psychological assessment, must make progress on replicable and specific forms of functional analysis, and must help psychologists measure psychological health.