Introduction to the state-of-the-art review series: Research contributions to clinical assessment

Abstract

This paper introduces the theme for the five State-of-the-Art Reviews (SOARs) that follow. Clinical assessment is presented as an integral part of any behavior therapy intervention. Seven components of assessment are outlined: initial diagnosis and assessment of the treatment context and the client's internal resources, assessment as part of treatment planning, assessment as a method of monitoring treatment progress, and assessment as a method of making decisions about treatment completion and checking on maintenance of treatment gains. Following this introduction, SOARs address assessment and treatment issues in the areas of substance abuse, panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and insomnia.