Paradigmatic behavioral assessment, treatment, and evaluation: Answering the crisis in behavioral assessment

Abstract

The field of behavioral assessment that employs the framework of the experimental analysis of behavior is considered to be in a crisis state because (1) it is isolated from relevant work in traditional psychology and in other behavioral approaches, (2) in its application and in its research it is forced to introduce concepts, methods, and testing instruments that are inconsistent with its basic assumptions, (3) it is not capable of behaviorizing and incorporating into a behavioral framework important findings of the traditional field of psychological measurement, (4) it has not fulfilled its original promise of competing successfully with traditional psychology, as the published works of its practitioners clearly show, and (5) it is not serving as a heuristic guide for the many things that need to be developed if the behavioral approach is to fulfill its promise. Paradigmatic behavioral assessment is outlined as an alternate framework that — while perfectly behavioristic — rests upon basic principles and concepts and methodology that can incorporate aspects of traditional psychological measurement in a manner that provides the heuristic foundation for reaching the promise of the behavioral approach.