NCJ Number
50635
Date Published
1977
Length
31 pages
Annotation
METHODS OF BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT IN THE FIELDS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE, INCLUDING LABORATORY ANALOG MEASURES AND IN VIVO MEASURES, ARE DETAILED.
Abstract
LABORATORY ANALOG MEASURES INVOLVE OPERANT MEASURES, TASTE RATING TASKS, PHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT, AND AD LIB SUBSTANCE USE IN LABORATORIES OR IN SIMULATED NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS. IN VIVO MEASURES ENCOMPASS INDIRECT ASSESSMENTS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE BY URINALYSIS, BLOOD SAMPLING, AND BREATH ANALYZER TESTS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT USES OF STRATEGIES FOR BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT IS THE EVALUATION OF THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT OF BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE. BOTH LABORATORY ANALOG AND IN VIVO PROCEDURES HAVE THEIR ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, AND POSSIBLY A COMBINATION OF BOTH PROCEDURES MAY BE BENEFICIAL. COMBINED USE MAY ALLOW THE COMPARISON OF VARIOUS ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO THEIR CLINICAL FEASIBILITY. LABORATORY ANALOG PROCEDURES ARE PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF TREATMENT STRATEGIES WITHIN A SINGLE-CASE DESIGN EXPERIMENT, SINCE THEIR QUANTITATIVE NATURE MAKES THEM SENSITIVE TO RELATIVELY SMALL CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR. IN VIVO ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES APPEAR TO BE USEFUL IN EXAMINING LONG TERM OUTPATIENT EFFECTS OF A TOTAL TREATMENT REGIME. AVERSION THERAPIES, OPERANT CONDITIONING, TRAINING IN ALTERNATIVE BEHAVIORS, AND COMPREHENSIVE BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED. POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS OF BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES ARE NOTED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)