Skip to main content

Assumptions About the Nature of Behavior Problems

  • Chapter
Principles and Practice of Behavioral Assessment

Part of the book series: Applied Clinical Psychology ((ACPH))

  • 339 Accesses

Abstract

We have noted that assumptions about the nature of behavior problems affect three aspects of psychological assessment: the focus of assessment, the strategies of assessment, and the behavioral case formulation. For example, if a client’s problems are considered internal, stable personality traits (e.g., “overdependence”), as is characteristic of many psychodynamically based paradigms, then assessment will focus on the detection of these traits, and assessment strategies will most likely involve projective methods and personality inventories. Finally, the ultimate case formulation will reflect the presumed importance of these causal variables.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Suggested Readings

Paradigms of Psychopathology

  • Achenbach, T. M., and McConaughy, S. H. (1997). Empirically based assessment of child and adolescent psychopathology practical applications ( 2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frame, C. L., and Matson, J. L. (Eds.). (1987). Handbook of assessment in childhood psychopathology applied issues in differential diagnosis and treatment evaluation (pp. 79–106 ). New York: Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, S. M., and Hersen, M. (Eds.). (1997). Adult psychopathology and diagnosis ( 3rd ed. ). New York: John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

Characteristics of Behavior Problems

  • Evans, I. M. (1986). Response structure and the triple-response-mode concept. In R. O. Nelson and S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Conceptual foundations of behavioral assessment (pp. 131–155 ). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. O., and Hayes, S. C. (1986). The nature of behavioral assessment. In R. O. Nelson and S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Conceptual foundations of behavioral assessment (pp. 1–41 ). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

Comorbidity

  • Clarkin, J. F., and Kendall, P. C. (1992). Comorbidity and treatment planning: Summary and future directions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 904–908.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lilienfeld, S. O., Waldman, I. D., and Israel, A. C. (1994). A critical examination of the use of the term and concept of “comorbidity” in psychopathology research. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 1, 71–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persons, J. B., and Bertagnolli, A. (1994). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of multiple-problem patients: Application to personality disorders. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 1, 279–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Haynes, S.N., O’Brien, W.H. (2000). Assumptions About the Nature of Behavior Problems. In: Principles and Practice of Behavioral Assessment. Applied Clinical Psychology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-47469-9_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-47469-9_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-0971-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-47469-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics