This document describes the methodology followed in obtaining abstracts (see volumes 2 and 3) of more than 8,000 critical behaviors of nurses and attendants in delivering care in 50 psychiatric and mental health facilities throughout the country. The abstracts were derived from reports of actual observations by 1,785 mental health practitioners in the field of mental health and were reported as examples of either highly effective or highly ineffective care. Abstracts have been classified as to behavior of nurses and behavior of attendants and have been organized according to: response of staff to patients' maladaptive behavior, staff-initiated therapeutic intervention, physical health and safety of patients and staff, effective interpersonal relations with patients, management activities, and motivation and responsibility. Numbers and types of incidents and innovations were reported in relation to type of facility, geographic region and community size, controlling auspices, size of facility, and length of stay. This volume, along with volumes 2 and 3, is intended for use in basic, preservice, and continuing education. In chapter 3, a detailed example is presented on how to use source data to specify behaviorally-based content and in the development of training, selection, and evaluation materials. (EA)