Psychopathology and Assessment: Contributing Knowledge to Science and Practice

Excerpt

This issue marks the beginning of my term as editor of the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment (JPBA). I very much look forward to serving as the new Editor, and for the opportunity to build on the important work that has already been published under the founding editor Dr. Henry E. Adams, and Dr. Patricia B. Sutker, who served as editors for the past three decades (Sutker 2001). The articles that will appear in the next several issues will be manuscripts that were accepted under Dr. Sutker’s editorship. The mission of the journal will be to continue the publication of high level scientific studies on psychopathology and assessment. I look forward to receiving manuscripts on both topics and believe that the two will continue to complement one another well in a single journal. Adams (1979) noted the importance of a multi-assessment and paradigm approach stating that “this journal is planned to promote synthesis of assessment data from diverse theoretical perspectives and topic areas” (p. 1). I plan to continue with this agenda, and I interpret the use of the term “Behavioral” in the title of the journal to simply mean “Scientific.” Thus, I hope to accept articles on both psychopathology and scientific assessment from multiple perspectives (biological, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, etc.), and a variety of measurement sources (e.g., interview, self-report, other report, observation, imaging, etc). In addition, psychopathology that spans a wide variety of mental illnesses will be welcomed. I will also consider articles that emphasize well-being and positive aspects of psychology that have been found to prevent the development, or protect against the worsening of psychopathology. These articles will help to increase the field’s knowledge of psychopathology. They will aid in developing an understanding about how certain disorders come about (or do not come about), how they are maintained (or not maintained), and in cases where psychopathology develops, how the symptoms might be ameliorated. …