Evaluating the validity of functional behavior assessment

This article provides a brief overview of functional behavior assessment an d contrasts and compares functional behavior assessment and traditional psy chological assessment. Messick's (1995) theory of construct validity is pre sented and then applied to the evaluation of the validity of functional beh avior assessment measures. Finally, implications and guidelines of current construct validity theory are presented for school psychologists developing and/or using FBA measures and procedures.