Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment

What Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment does

Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) is the operating brand of Research Center for Children, Youth & Families, Inc., a Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 that develops and distributes a family of standardized behavioral assessment instruments grounded in empirically derived syndrome scales. The portfolio spans ages 1½ to 90+, covering preschool (CBCL/1½-5, C-TRF), school-age (CBCL/6-18, TRF, YSR, BPM/6-18), adult (ASR, ABCL, BPM/18-59), and older adult (OASR, OABCL) populations, with supporting tools including the SCICA interview, TOF and DOF observation forms, the LDS language screener, and DSM-5 oriented scoring scales. Multi-informant architecture (parent, teacher, self, collateral) and multicultural norms derived from 100+ cultures and 100+ language translations underpin the empirical framework, validated through confirmatory factor analyses and thousands of published studies.

ASEBA is delivered through three software platforms - ASEBA-Web (cloud subscription), ASEBA-PC (desktop), and ASEBA-Network (server-based concurrent users) - plus the ASEBA P&O App for applying reliable change statistics. Revenue is generated through paper assessment forms, software licenses, annual subscriptions, site/scoring licenses, and a usage-based e-unit credit system. Customers include mental health professionals, schools, medical and pediatric settings, child and family services, and academic researchers, served primarily through direct online sales and authorized international distributors. Compliance posture is HIPAA (ASEBA-Web) and GDPR (ASEBA-Network), with DSSM-5 alignment supporting clinical and educational procurement. The organization maintains a small employee base (11-50) operating from Burlington, VT.

Name

Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment

Legal name

Research Center for Children, Youth & Families, Inc.

Website

https://aseba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ASEBA develops and distributes empirically-based behavioral assessment instruments and software for mental health professionals, schools, medical settings, and researchers. Its multi-informant, multicultural assessment system spans ages 1.5-90+ across 100+ languages, generating revenue through form sales, subscriptions, and institutional licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Psychological and Behavioral Assessment Software

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Diagnostic & Adaptive Assessment Content (Skills/Readiness) (EDAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Behavioral assessment tools
• Psychological assessment software
• Mental health screening
• Multicultural assessment norms
• DSM-5 diagnostic scales

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Assessment Forms: Sale of paper assessment forms including CBCL, TRF, YSR, ASR, ABCL, and related materials for different age groups from preschool to older adults.
2. ASEBA-Web Subscription: Annual subscription service for online form completion, scoring, and data storage. Requires purchase of e-units for administering assessments via the web.
3. ASEBA-PC Software: Desktop software for scoring assessment forms, sold with age-specific modules for different assessment instruments.
4. ASEBA-Network License: Server-based multi-user license allowing concurrent sign-ons for organizations requiring multiple simultaneous users.
5. E-Units: Consumable credit units used to administer and score assessments online. E-units purchased in various increments and roll over indefinitely as long as subscription is maintained.
6. Site and Scoring Licenses: Organizational site licenses for multiple users to access and use ASEBA materials within institutional settings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ASEBA develops and distributes empirically based assessment instruments and software for evaluating adaptive and maladaptive functioning across the lifespan (ages 1.5 to 90+). The portfolio includes standardized questionnaires (CBCL, TRF, YSR, ASR, ABCL, OASR, OABCL), interview and observation forms, brief problem monitors, and the supporting software ecosystem (ASEBA-Web, ASEBA-PC, ASEBA-Network, P&O App) that deliver scoring, cross-informant comparisons, DSM-5 oriented scales, and multicultural norms in over 100 languages.

Product overview

ASEBA (Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment) is a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment system comprising multiple assessment instruments, software platforms, and scoring tools. The portfolio includes paper-based and software-delivered instruments for assessing behavioral, emotional, social, and thought problems across the lifespan from age 1½ to 90+. The core assessment instruments include: CBCL/1½-5 and C-TRF for preschoolers; CBCL/6-18, TRF/6-18, YSR/11-18, and BPM/6-18 for school-age children; ASR/18-59, ABCL/18-59, and BPM/18-59 for adults; and OASR/60-90+ and OABCL/60-90+ for older adults. Additional instruments include the SCICA (interview), TOF (test observation), DOF (direct observation), and LDS (language screening). The software ecosystem includes ASEBA-Web (cloud platform), ASEBA-PC (desktop software), ASEBA-Network (server-based multi-user), and the ASEBA P&O App for statistical testing. DSM-5 Oriented Scales enable coordination with diagnostic categories. The system supports multicultural scoring with translations in over 100 languages and multicultural norms for diverse societies. Assessment data is collected via multiple informants (parents, teachers, self, collateral) and coordinated through cross-informant comparisons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASEBA-Web: Cloud-based internet solution for online completion of ASEBA forms, scoring, and data storage.
• ASEBA-Network
• ASEBA-PC
• ASEBA P&O App

Products and services

• ASEBA-Web Cloud-based platform enabling online completion of ASEBA assessment forms, scoring, cross-informant comparisons, and data storage for professionals and institutions.
• ASEBA-PC Desktop software for scoring and managing ASEBA assessment data on individual computers, available as modules for different age groups.
• ASEBA-Network Server-based multi-user software enabling concurrent sign-ons for organizations via intranet or WAN, with scoring, profiling, and cross-informant comparison capabilities.
• ASEBA P&O App Application designed to easily apply statistical tests to a client's scores to clearly show if improvement exceeds chance levels.
• Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5) Parent-completed questionnaire assessing behavioral and emotional problems in preschool children ages 1.5 to 5, includes the Language Development Survey (LDS) for screening language delays.
• Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF/1.5-5) Form completed by daycare providers and preschool teachers to assess behavioral and emotional problems in children ages 1.5 to 5.
• Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (CBCL/6-18) Parent-completed questionnaire assessing competencies, strengths, adaptive functioning, and behavioral/emotional problems in school-age children and adolescents ages 6-18.
• Teacher's Report Form (TRF/6-18) Teacher-completed form assessing school-age children's and adolescents' behavioral and emotional problems, competencies, and adaptive functioning from the school perspective.
• Youth Self-Report (YSR/11-18) Self-report form for adolescents ages 11-18 assessing their own competencies, strengths, adaptive functioning, and behavioral/emotional problems.
• Brief Problem Monitor for Ages 6-18 (BPM/6-18) Brief screening tool with versions for parents, teachers, and youths to assess changes in problems over brief periods (1-2 minutes to complete).
• Adult Self-Report (ASR/18-59) Self-report form for adults ages 18-59 assessing diverse problems, personal strengths, adaptive functioning, and substance use.
• Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL/18-59) Collateral-report form completed by adults who know the assessed adult well, assessing behavioral, emotional, and social problems, competencies, and adaptive functioning.
• Brief Problem Monitor for Ages 18-59 (BPM/18-59) Brief monitoring tool for assessing changes in adult problems over brief intervals, designed for completion in 1-2 minutes.
• Older Adult Self-Report (OASR/60-90+) Self-report form for older adults ages 60-90+ assessing problems, personal strengths, and adaptive functioning specific to the aging population.
• Older Adult Behavior Checklist (OABCL/60-90+) Collateral-report form for completion by people who know the older adult well, assessing behavioral and emotional problems in adults ages 60-90+.
• Semistructured Clinical Interview for Children and Adolescents (SCICA) Interview-based assessment tool for ages 6-18 administered by trained clinical interviewers, including semistructured questions and interviewer rating forms.
• Test Observation Form (TOF) for Ages 2-18 Form for examiners to rate behavioral and emotional problems observed during administration of individual ability and achievement tests.
• Direct Observation Form (DOF) Form for direct observers to record behavioral and emotional problems observed in naturalistic settings.
• Multicultural Family Assessment Module (MFAM) Module enabling entry and comparison of data from CBCL/6-18, TRF, YSR, ASR, and ABCL with multicultural scoring and normed bar graph displays for family-oriented assessment.
• DSM-5 Oriented Scales Problem items scored on DSM-oriented scales updated for DSM-5, constructed by expert identification of ASEBA problem items consistent with particular DSM diagnostic categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Numerous studies demonstrate significant associations between ASEBA scores and both diagnostic and special education classifications
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Multi-Health Systems (MHS): MHS publishes widely used behavioral and emotional assessments (e.g., Conners, ASRS) sold to clinicians, schools, and researchers through a similar catalog-and-licensing model to ASEBA, including scoring software and digital platforms.
• Western Psychological Services (WPS): WPS publishes and distributes psychological assessments, scoring software, and digital platforms to clinicians, schools, and researchers in the same go-to-market motion as ASEBA, with overlapping product categories in behavioral and emotional assessment.
• PAR (Psychological Assessment Resources): PAR publishes and distributes standardized psychological and behavioral assessment instruments for clinical, educational, and forensic use, directly competing with ASEBA's CBCL/TRF/YSR family in the same professional buyer segments.
• PRO-ED: PRO-ED publishes standardized assessments, intervention materials, and professional books for speech-language pathologists, psychologists, and educators, with comparable distribution and licensing models for institutional buyers.
• Mind Garden: Mind Garden publishes and licenses psychological assessments (e.g., 360-degree feedback instruments, leadership tools) to practitioners and researchers, using a similar form, manual, and online-scoring distribution model as ASEBA.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Clinical: Pearson Clinical is a major incumbent publisher of behavioral and educational assessments (e.g., BASC, WISC) serving overlapping school psychology and clinical markets, but as part of a much broader assessment portfolio.
• Riverside Publishing (HMH): Riverside Publishing (part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) publishes educational and clinical assessments serving school psychologists and clinicians, with broader K-12 assessment breadth than ASEBA's narrower focus.

Regional players

• Hogrefe Publishing: Hogrefe is a leading European publisher of psychological tests and assessments, comparable to ASEBA in product category but with primary strength in European markets and language coverage.

Others

• Q-global (Pearson Digital Platform): Pearson's Q-global digital assessment administration and scoring platform competes with ASEBA-Web in offering online delivery, scoring, and storage of standardized assessments to clinicians and institutions.
• Child Trends: Child Trends is a nonprofit research organization that develops and applies measurement instruments and surveys for child and family research, comparable in mission and nonprofit posture but focused on research rather than commercial distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIzvez_ZzkpM83-kInJX1HQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adm-software

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment