The integration of empirically derived personality assessment data into a behavioral conceptualization and treatment plan. Rationale, guidelines, and caveats.

Cohen et al. (1993) wrote a how-to paper. They told BCBAs to add a short, science-backed personality quiz to the first visit. The quiz gives trait scores that sharpen your behavior plan and help you pick the best intervention for that client.

The paper lists rules and warnings. It tells you which tests have real data behind them and how to fold the numbers into your ABC thinking.

The authors did not run a new experiment. They built a map. The map shows where to plug trait scores into your functional assessment so the treatment fits the person, not just the behavior.

Lawer et al. (2009) took the idea further. They gave two circumplex personality scales to adults with intellectual disabilities. The trait pattern held up, so the 1993 advice works even in forensic ID settings.

Frankot et al. (2024) offers the next step. They say big-data tools can now mine huge response sets to find person-level rules. Instead of one static trait score, you get a living profile that updates as new data come in. The 2024 paper does not kill the 1993 idea; it upgrades it from a single snapshot to a streaming video.

Howard et al. (2023) sounds like a warning. Their review says many ABA criterion-referenced checks lack solid psychometric proof. That seems to clash with the 1993 call to add validated tools. The gap is real: the 1993 paper urges you to pick only well-tested scales, while the 2023 review shows that lots of common ABA measures are not well-tested. Read both and you get a simple rule: use the trait tool, but first check its reliability and validity papers.

Next time you intake a client, tack on a brief, validated trait measure such as the BFI-10. Circle the items that load on conscientiousness or neuroticism. Drop those scores next to your functional analysis. If the client scores high on impulsivity, you might front-load more frequent reinforcement and shorter task chunks. The five extra minutes can save you weeks of trial-and-error later.