Editorial: Assessment as a Process in Pediatric

This special issue of the Journal is dedicated to assessment in pediatric psycholo-gy, a difficult and challenging area for researchers and clinicians alike (La Greca, 1994). Pediatric psychologists are often confronted with the thorny issue of trying to obtain a good fit between their "question of interest " and the "available measures. " There are no easy answers to the kinds of assessment problems that pediatric psychologists commonly encounter. In this opening editorial, however, we discuss several important considerations that may help researchers and clini-cians to improve the quality and focus of their assessments in pediatric settings. Although much of what we have to say applies equally well to clinical and research situations, our emphasis is on research applications. ASSESSMENT AS A PROCESS First, it is critical to note that the term "assessment " is not synonymous with "test " or "measure. " Rather, assessment is a process, and this process always begins with a question. In a clinical setting, the referral question typically prompts a clinician to design and implement an appropriate assessment of th