ABSTRACT
While proper assessment is useful in most forms of psychotherapy, it is vital to the precise application of behavior therapy techniques. Perhaps more than any other type of therapy, behavior therapy relies on assessment data not only to guide and focus intervention efforts but also to provide feedback regarding the success of these efforts so that appropriate modifications can take place. Consequently, the assessment activities that take place within a behavioral family therapy framework are quite important. This chapter describes these assessment activities, first from a traditional or classical point of view. The limitations of this point of view are then explored. Finally, a broader based assessment model that addresses the limitations of the more conventional approach is proposed and illustrated with actual case material. It should be noted that this chapter is oriented toward the clinician and its aims are therefore practical. However, it does not provide a cookbook approach to doing family assessment, since the state of knowledge in this area does not justify such specific recommendations. Instead, this chapter provides a heuristic approach, offering a framework and guidelines for assisting clinicians in considering the various elements integral to a comprehensive assessment.
