Evidence-based assessment

Evidence-based assessment (EBA) refers to the application of research and theory in selecting constructs for a specific assessment purpose, as well as informing the methods and measures used in the assessment process. This approach recognizes that, despite data from psychometrically robust measures, the assessment process inherently involves iterative decision-making. Clinicians formulate and test hypotheses by integrating often incomplete and inconsistent data. EBA has been shown to aid clinicians in reducing cognitive biases in their clinical decisions. Evidence-based assessment is a component of the broader movement towards evidence-based practices.

The concept of Evidence-based assessment (EBA) originated in the field of medicine, and has since been adopted in several other disciplines, notably clinical psychology. The EBA approach is widely recognized as an empirically driven method of clinical decision-making. Cochrane reviews have reported the efficacy of EBA methods.