Behavioral Assessments: An Overview
“Severe behavior disorders are among the most perplexing conditions encountered by clinicians” (DeLeon & Silverman, 2008). In the past, different treatments were used for people who displayed serve behavioral issues. “Not long ago physical restraint was the only option, the goal being to make it literally impossible for affected individuals to do things like punch themselves in the face or bang their heads against the walls (envision straight-jackets and padded cells). More recently, drugs have been used to medicate those affected” (DeLeon & Silverman, 2008). Although these methods addressed the issue at the time, they did not focus on the underlying cause of the behavior. Therefore, people displaying these undesired behaviors were never taught how to “change” their behaviors. Due to the increasing number of people diagnosed with behavioral disorders, new practices needed to be set in place. ...