ABSTRACT
What major advances have occurred in the assessment of psychopathology over the past 30 years? Many psychologists would argue that the most important breakthroughs include the development of explicit diagnostic criteria, the growing popularity of structured interviews, the proliferation of brief measures tailored for use by mental health professionals conducting empirically supported treatments, and the use of measures for monitoring treatment progress. But they may also feel that progress has been frustratingly slow (e.g., McNally, 2011; Frances & Widiger, 2012, see also Widiger, Chapter 6 in this volume.) Controversies abound in the domain of assessment, and most beginning readers of this literature are left with little guidance regarding how to navigate the murky scientific waters.
