Clinical Diagnosis, Behavioral Assessment, and Functional Analysis: Examining the Connection Between Assessment and Intervention

Methodologies for diagnostic problem solving are presented; namely, clinical diagnosis using DSM-IV, multiaxial empirically based assessment, and behavioral assessment (including keystone target behavior strategy, template matching, and functional analysis). These approaches are reviewed within the context of methodological and conceptual issues pertaining to the construct of treatment utility. It is argued that clinical diagnosis and empirically based assessment may demonstrate treatment validity (a) relative to technological treatments matched to the diagnosis and (b) depending on the range and scope of assessments used in problem solving. Behavioral assessment tactics also may demonstrate treatment validity when matching treatments to target problems and the range and scope of assessments used in problem solving. In contrast, functional assessment may demonstrate treatment validity for the functions of behavior as determined through descriptive and/or experimental assessment technologies. Directions for future research are presented within each domain.