Skip to main content
Log in

Some relationships between behavioral and traditional assessment

  • Published:
Journal of behavioral assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Psychometric principles and procedures were developed within the context of traditional approaches to assessment. In order to illustrate the frequent, if not uniform, applicability of these principles to behavior assessment, we first discuss the differences and similarities between traditional and behavioral assessment. We then point out ways in which, given the nature of behavior assessment, attention to certain psychometric principles and procedures would expedite the development of more adequate behavior assessment devices and procedures.

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

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychological Association, American Educational Research Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education.Standards for educational and psychological tests. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anastasi, A.Psychological testing (4th Ed.). New York: MacMillan, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arthur, A. Z. Diagnostic testing and the new alternatives.Psychological Bulletin 1969,72 183–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A.Principles of behavior modification. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bijou, S. W. Environment and intelligence: A behavioral analysis. In R. Cancro (Ed.),Intelligence: Genetic and environmental influences. New York: Grune & Stratton, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carver, R. P. Two dimensions of tests: Psychometric and edumetric.American Psychologist 1974,29 512–518.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciminero, A. R. Behavioral assessment: An overview. In A. R. Ciminero, K. S. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciminero, A. R., & Drabman, R. S. Current developments in the behavioral assessment of children. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 1). New York: Plenum Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciminero, A. R., Calhoun, K. S., & Adams, H. E. (Eds.).Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coates, T. J., & Thoresen, C. E. Using generalizability theory in behavioral observation.Behavior Therapy 1978,9 605–613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cone, J. D. The relevance of reliability and validity for behavior assessment.Behavior Therapy 1977,8 411–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cone, J. D. Truth and sensitivity in behavioral assessment. Paper presented at the annual meetings of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Chicago, November 1978.

  • Cone, J. D., & Hawkins, R. P. (Eds.).Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977. a

    Google Scholar 

  • Cone, J. D., & Hawkins, R. P. Current status and future directions in behavioral assessment. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.),Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977. b

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J.Essentials of psychological testing (3rd Ed.). New York: Harper & Row, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J., & Gleser, G. C.Psychological tests and personnel decisions. Urban, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J., Gleser, G. C., Nanda, H., & Rajaratnam, N.The dependability of behavioral measurements. New York: Wiley, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davison, G. C. Appraisal of behavior modification techniques with adults in institutional settings. In C. Franks (Ed.),Behavior therapy: Appraisal and status. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deitz, S. M. Current status of applied behavioral analysis: Science versus technology.American Psychologist 1978,33 805–814.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebel, R. L. Some limitations of criterion-referenced measurement. In G. H. Bracht, K. D. Hopkins, & J. C. Stanley (Eds.),Perspectives in educational and psychological measurement. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, I. M., & Nelson, R. O. Assessment of child behavior problems. In A. R. Ciminero, K. S. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, A. D., Mariotto, M. J., Conger, A. J., Curran, J. P., & Wallander, J. L. Self-ratings and judges' ratings of heterosexual social anxiety and skill: A generalizability study.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1979,47 164–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelfand, D. M., & Hartmann, D. P.Child behavior: Analysis and therapy. New York: Pergamon, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfried, M. R. Behavioral assessment in perspective. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.),Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfried, M. R., & Kent, R. N. Traditional versus behavioral personality assessment: A comparison of methodological and theoretical assumptions.Psychological Bulletin 1972,77 409–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldfriend, M. R., & Linehan, M. M. Basic issues in behavioral assessment. In A. R. Ciminero, K. S. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottlieb, B. H. The development and application of a classification scheme of informal helping behaviors.Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science 1978,10 105–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J., Markman, H., & Notarius, C. The topography of marital conflict: A sequential analysis of verbal and nonverbal behavior.Journal of Marriage and the Family 1977,39 461–477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, D. P. Must the baby follow the bathwater? Psychometric principles — behavioral data. Paper presented at the symposium entitled “Behavioral assessment: The relevance of traditional psychometric procedures,” annual meetings of the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 1976.

  • Hartmann, D. P. Considerations in the choice of interobserver reliability estimates.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1977,10 103–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, D. P., Roper, B. L., & Gelfand, D. M. An evaluation of alternative modes of child psychotherapy. In B. L. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 1). New York: Plenum Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, S. N.Principles of behavioral assessment. New York: Gardner Press, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hersen, M., & Bellack, A. S. (Eds.).Behavioral assessment: A practical handbook. New York: Pergamon Press, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, N. S. Problem solving and contingency contracting in the treatment of marital discord.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1977,45 92–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jersild, A. T., & Holmes, F. B. Children's fears.Child Development Monograph, 1935,20.

  • Johnson, S. M., & Bolstad, O. D. Methodological issues in naturalistic observation: Some problems and solutions for field research. In L. A. Hamerlynck, L. C. Hardy, & R. J. Mash (Eds.),Behavior change: Methodology, concepts, and practice. Champaign, Ill.: Research Press, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. R. Conceptual vs. analytic uses of generalizability theory in behavioral assessment. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.),Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R. R., Reid, J. B., & Patterson, G. R. Naturalistic observation in clinical assessment. In P. McReynolds (Ed.),Advances in psychological assessment (Vol. 3). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanfer, F. D., & Phillips, J. S.Learning foundations of behavior therapy. New York: Wiley, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karoly, P. Behavioral self-management in children: Concepts, methods, issues, and directions. In M. Hersen, R. M. Eisler, & P. M. Miller (Eds.),Progress in behavior modification (Vol. 7). New York: Academic Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E. Assessing the clinical or applied importance of behavior change through social validation.Behavior Modification 1977,1 427–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E.History of behavior modification. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E., & Wilson, G. T.Evaluation of behavior therapy. Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kent, R. N., & Foster, S. L. Direct observational procedures: Methodological issues in naturalistic settings. In A. R. Ciminero, K. S. Calhoun, & H. E. Adams (Eds.),Handbook of behavioral assessment. New York: Wiley, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. S.The structure of scientific revolution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, P. J. The application of psychophysiological methods to the study of psychotherapy and behavior modification. In A. E. Bergin & S. L. Garfield (Eds.),Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change. New York: Wiley, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, K. B., & Shneidman, E. S. Congruencies among interpretations of psychological test and anamnestic data.Psychological Monographs, 1959,73, (No. 6, Whole No. 476).

  • Livingston, S. A. Psychometric techniques for criterion-referenced testing and behavioral assessment. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.),Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martuza, V. R.Applying norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measurement in education. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mash, E. J., & Terdal, L. G. Behavior therapy assessment: Diagnosis, design and evaluation. In E. J. Mash & L. G. Terdal (Eds.),Behavior therapy assessment. New York: Springer, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • McFall, R. M. Analogue methods in behavioral assessment: Issues and prospects. In J. D. Cone & R. P. Hawkins (Eds.),Behavioral assessment. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melahn, C. O., & O'Donnell, C. R. Norm-based behavioral consulting.Behavior Modification 1978,2 309–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meehl, P. E. Some ruminations on the validation of clinical procedures. In P. E. Meehl (Ed.),Psychodiagnosis: Selected papers. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meehl, P. E., & Rosen, A. Antecedent probability and the efficiency of psychometric signs, patterns or cutting scores.Psychological Bulletin 1955,52 194–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Messick, S. The standard problem: Meaning and values in measurement and evaluation.American Psychologist 1975,30 955–966.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mischel, W.Personality and assessment. New York: Wiley, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. O., & Bowles, P. E. The best of two worlds — observations with norms.Journal of School Psychology 1975,13 3–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally, J.Psychometric theory (2nd Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Connor, R. D. Modification of social withdrawal through symbolic modeling.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1969,2 15–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Donnell, C. R. Behavior modification in community settings. In M. Hersen, R. M. Eisler, & P. M. Miller (Eds.),Progress in behavior modification (Vol. 4). New York: Academic Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabin, A. I. Projective methods: An historical introduction. In A. I. Rabin (Ed.),Projective techniques in personality assessment. New York: Springer, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seime, R. J., McCauley, R. L., & Madsen, R. K. Comparing interview impressions and test results: A new test interpretation format and procedure.Professional Psychology 1977,8 199–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staats, A. W.Child learning, intelligence, and personality. New York: Harper & Row, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wade, T. C., Baker, T. B., & Hartmann, D. P. Behavior therapists' self-reported views and practices.The Behavior Therapist 1979,2 3–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, H. M., & Hops, H. Use of normative peer data as a standard for evaluating classroom treatment effects.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1976,9 159–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins, J. S.Personality and prediction: Principles of personality assessment. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, M. M. Social validity: The case for subjective measurement or how applied behavior analysis is finding its heart.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 1978,11 203–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williamson, H. R.Historical whodunits. New York: Macmillan, 1955.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hartmann, D.P., Roper, B.L. & Bradford, D.C. Some relationships between behavioral and traditional assessment. Journal of Behavioral Assessment 1, 3–21 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01322415

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01322415

Key words

Navigation