ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a detailed introduction to the principles, specific uses, and problems of direct behavioral observation as a child assessment tool. This assessment technique is one of the primary tools of many clinicians and researchers who are involved in the assessment of behavioral, social, and emotional problems of children and adolescents, and it holds a prominent position as being one of the most empirically sound of these assessment techniques. In fact, behavioral observation is among the most frequently used assessment methods and may be the most commonly employed method among school psychologists (Wilson & Reschly, 1996). However, it is important for even the most ardent advocates of behavioral observation (including us) to recognize that this method of assessment does include several key challenges and potential problems. Furthermore, there are major differences between anecdotal observation of behavior and systematic observational methods (e.g., Volpe & McConaughy, 2005), which causes us to contend that not all observational tools are equally useful and valid. This chapter first provides an overview of the basic principles and concepts of behavioral observation, then takes a detailed look at the general methods and typical coding procedures of behavioral observation. After the general foundations and methods of direct behavioral observation have been described, a review of several formal observational coding systems is provided. These systems were selected for inclusion in this chapter on the basis of their generalpurpose design and their utility in conducting assessments in school, home, and clinic settings. The chapter includes an analysis of some of the major problems and issues in behavioral observation. Issues ranging from the problem of observer reactivity to situational specificity of behavior are covered, and specific suggestions for overcoming these problems and limitations of behavioral observation are provided. The exploration of direct behavioral observation concludes with a discussion of how direct behavioral observation can be useful in making various decisions that are related to the assessment process.
