Psychology 438: Techniques of Objective Psychological Assessment
4-28-09
guest lecture on Behavioral Assessment: observation, self-monitoring, role-laying
Observational assessment, in situ assessment, naturalistic observation
possible advantages:
focus on overt, "objective" events of immediate clinical relevance: if clear, reliable, valid categories for observation are constructed
deals with situational specificity of much human behavior: if relevant settings/times to observe are chosen
captures the environment aspect of the person x environment interaction: if meaningful stimuli as well as responses are recorded
issues:
labor intensive
possible reactivity to observation
observer reliability, observer drift
Common variations: parental observation of children; spousal/partner observation
Pragmatic/how-to considerations:
frequency/duration/severity (intensity) measures
time sampling/frequency & scheduling
records and analysis (what do you do with the data after you have it)
Self-monitoring by clients
possible advantages:
gather naturalistic data
contribute to greater client self-awareness/client education
more practical than extrinsic observation
private events (thoughts, feelings) can be assessed
issues:
reliability
reactivity
effort needed by client/resistance
Pragmatic/how-to considerations:
immediate recording more accurate
paper-and-pen vs. electronic (PDA's, smart phones, texting)
instances, actions/mental content, environmental cues, severity/degree of belief ratings
Role-played/in session observation
possible advantages:
captures behavior client not aware of (nonverbal responses, verbal mannerisms)
more efficient and practical than in situ observation
Common variation: videotaping for feedback
issues:
similar to others: reliability, validity, stress for client
"behavioral" role-plays tend to be brief with specific objectives (identification of next target to work on)
identification of strengths as well as weaknesses essential
assessment blends naturally into treatment
Pragmatic/how-to considerations:
stock scenes vs. actual reconstructions
heuristic for selection of treatment targets:
eye contact
posturegestures
voice loudness
voice toneverbal content