Assessment-derived treatment of children's disruptive behavior disorders.

The objective of assessment-derived treatment is to formulate therapeutic interventions that are based upon an identification of the variables that control the occurrence of clinical disorders. This article presents a discussion of several concerns related to the process of assessment-derived treatment of children's disruptive behavior disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder). The use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R), diagnostic interviewing, behavior checklists, and direct observational methodologies for purposes of conducting a functional behavioral analysis is reviewed. The role of family variables and academic curriculum also are considered as components of a comprehensive assessment focus. A decision format that indicates the selection of therapeutic strategies as a function of identified controlling relationships is presented.