Considering the clinical utility of performance-based measures of childhood anxiety

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.