Examines general issues regarding the clinical utility of performance-based
measures and specifically considers the utility of performance measures re
levant to childhood anxiety and fear First, we discuss the limitations of q
uestionnaire and interview measures of childhood anxiety and the ways in wh
ich performance-based measures may compensate for or augment the use of suc
h measures. Second, we review the major groups of performance-based measure
s that are potentially relevant to childhood anxiety and discuss evidence r
egarding their reliability and validity. Third, in the context of a general
discussion of the various ways in which an assessment procedure may have c
linical utility, we discuss the extent to which the performance-based techn
iques revieved possess utility. Although many of these measures show promis
e of one or more types of clinical utility none currently possess sufficien
t documented utility to warrant their dissemination for clinical use. We co
nclude by recommending directions for future research to demonstrate and im
prove the utility of such measures.