Behavior Therapy

• Dr. Sparrow EPSY 6363

Background

• Reaction to psychoanalysis

• lack of objectivity

• based on “black box” of the unconscious

• long-term

• concepts that could not be verified

• avoided the obvious

Founding Concepts

• Classical conditioning -- neutral stimulus paired with “unconditional stimulus” will produce response

• Wolpe’s systematic desensitization is way to resolve phobias created through classical condition

• Operant conditioning -- behavior that is rewarded will be repeated; learning cannot occur without reinforcement. Early behavior theorists rejected “black box” of mediational concepts. Problem: donkey and bales of hay.

Founding Concepts

• Social learning theory -- an interactional, interdisciplinary approach which combines the above earlier approaches with observational learning.

• Cognition became important

• This is triadic reciprocal interaction between 1) environment, 2) internal factors and 3) behavior.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy, importance of self talk. Cognitive restructuring.

View of Human Nature• Humans are producers and product of

environment

• Current approach focuses on giving clients more control and freedom

• Mechanistic views of early behaviorist rejected in favor of self determination

• Convergence with humanistic therapy

• action oriented

• subjective realm is gaining importance

• role of responsibility

Basic Assumptions• Based on scientific method -- objective and

measurable symptoms and goals

• Present oriented

• Clients expected to take active role

• Teaching skills of self management

• Focus is on changing behavior

• Self control and self management

• Individually tailored, and culturally appropriate approaches

• Collaborative relationship, and fully informed clients

• Practical applications

Goals of therapy

• Increase choice

• Create new conditions for learning

• Formulation of clear goals through collaborative client-governed approach

Role of the therapist

• Consultants and problem solvers

• Conduct formal assessment

• Formulate treatment goals

• Formulate plan for generalizing and maintaining change

• Evaluate

• Follow up

Client’s Experience

• Clearly defined role

• Active role for client and therapist

• Encouraged to experiment

• Actions must follow plans

• Termination is based on clear goals being met.

The Therapeutic Relationship

• Most behavioral therapists accept the importance of therapist warmth, etc., but believe these factors are not sufficient to sustain change.

• Specific behavioral techniques account for the progress.

Behavioral Techniques

• Operant conditioning techniques

• positive reinforcement

• negative reinforcement

• punishment, positive and negative -- limited value

• The Functional Assessment Model

• Relaxation training

• Systematic desensitization

Behavioral Techniques, continued

• Exposure therapies

• In vivo desensitization

• flooding

• in vivo

• imaginal

• EMDR

• Assertion training

• Self management programs

Behavioral Techniques, continued

• Multimodal therapy -- Arnold Lazarus

• technical eclecticism

• basic i.d. -- behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal, drugs/biology

• brief and comprehensive

• role of therapist to be authentic chameleons

Integrating Behavioral Techniques with Psychoanalysis

• Three phases

• object relations as a model for clarifying early formation of relationships; therapist participates in historic review

• there and then become insight for here and now relationship patterns

• behavioral techniques and homework to maximize change