Basic info on Behaviour Therapy

1. BEHAVIOR THERAPY
Presenter: Sonam Manoj
1st year MPhil. Clinical Psychology

2. Behavior Therapy
o Systematic application of the principles of learning to the direct
modification of a client’s problem behaviors.
o Is the use of learning principles to make constructive changes in
behavior.
o Behavioral approaches include behavior modification, aversion
therapy, desensitization, token economies, and other techniques

3. Behavior Therapy
◦ Basic Assumptions
◦ Overt behavior holds primacy
◦ Maladaptive behavior is learned in the same way as adaptive behavior
◦ Assessment and evaluation is key
◦ Treatment is active, directive and collaborative

4. Based on the principles and procedures of the scientific method
Learning new behaviors is the core of the therapy
Interventions tailored to fit individual needs
Therapy deals with client’s current problems and the factors influencing them
Does not deal with historical determinants
Treatment goals are stated in concrete and objective terms

5. Conclusions are made
based on what is
observed
Therapy is a
collaboration between
therapist and client
Clients are expected to
be active
Clients ‘do something’ to
bring about a change:
engage in new behaviors
Interventions are
monitored and frequently
revised
Clients monitor their
behavior outside of
sessions, learn coping
skills, role-playing
Several behavioral
techniques are often
combined in a treatment
package to increase
efficacy of treatment

6. Behavior Therapy
Based on learning theory
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Observational learning

10. Stages of Behavior Therapy
• Define the problem accurately in terms of behavior.
• Development history
• Establish specific goals, breaking down large goals into achievable units
• Determine the best method for change.

11. Systematic Desensitization:
◦ Developed by Joseph Wolpe
◦ Pair relaxation with CS
◦ A behavioral treatment that combines imagining or experiencing the feared object or situation with
relaxation exercises

12. Anxiety Hierarchy
◦ Series of statements about a feared situation
◦ Ordered from least to most anxiety provoking

13. Relaxation training
◦ Progressive relaxation
◦Tense, then relax muscle groups
◦Imagery – warm sun, calm ocean
◦Practice

14. Desensitization Proper
◦ Get client in a relaxed state
◦ Present first item on hierarchy
◦ If no anxiety is signaled, present item a second time. After two presentations
without anxiety move to next item
◦ If anxiety is signaled, return to relaxation. Present item again. If anxiety still
occurs go back to earlier step or reconstruct hierarchy.
◦ Continue up the hierarchy until all items can be imagined without anxiety

15. Behavior Fear rating
Think about a spider. 10
Look at a photo of a spider. 25
Look at a real spider in a closed box 50
Hold the box with the spider. 60
Let a spider crawl on your desk. 70
Let a spider crawl on your shoe. 80
Let a spider crawl on your pants leg. 90
Let a spider crawl on your sleeve. 95
Let a spider crawl on your bare arm. 100

16. Systematic Desensitization

17. Homework
◦ Daily practice
◦ Visualization of previously
successful items
◦ Practice in vivo
◦ Completion of log
sheet

18. Behavior Therapy
◦ Flooding: A person is exposed for prolonged intervals to a
fear-evoking but harmless stimulus until fear is extinguished.
◦ Confront individual with fear-provoking situations/ images
◦ No relaxation
◦ Not graded
◦ Extinction process
◦ Potential for intensifying fear

19. Flooding or therapeutic extinction
◦ Abandons the hierarchy
◦ Person confronts most upsetting situation right away

20. Behavior Therapy (Fear Reduction Methods)
 Exposure Therapy
 treat anxieties by exposing people (in imagination or reality) to the things they fear and avoid

21. Computer-generated, three-dimensional, lifelike images of
spiders instead of the real thing in systematic desensitization
programs to help combat client fears.

22. Exposure Therapy: Necessary Factors
◦ Long exposure
◦ Repeated exposure until fear dissipates
◦ Graduated exposure
◦ Attention to fear object
◦ Anxiety must be present

23. Behavior Therapy (Aversive Conditioning)
◦ Aversive Conditioning: A behavior therapy technique in which stimuli
associated with undesired responses become aversive by pairing noxious
stimuli with them. An example would be rapid smoking.
◦ Rapid Smoking: An aversive conditioning method for quitting smoking in
which the smoker inhales every 6 seconds, thus rendering once-desirable
cigarette smoke undesireable.

25. Aversion therapy for alcoholics

26. ◦ Trichotillomania (Pulling out
hair)
◦ Nail biting
◦ Face slapping
◦ Bruxism
◦ Biting other children
◦ Snap rubber band on wrist
◦ Bitter substance
◦ Water mist sprayed in face
◦ Loud noise
◦ Mild mouthwash

27. Modeling
◦ A technique in which a client observes and imitates a person who approaches and copes with feared
objects or situations.

29. Modeling
◦ Vicarious learning
◦ Observing therapists encounter with fear-provoking stimuli
◦ e.g., Peter watching other child handle rabbit
◦ Extinction of fear response
◦ Observe absence of danger ~

30. Modeling
◦ Participant modeling
◦ Or Guided participation
◦ Construct fear hierarchy
◦ Start with least feared stimulus
◦ Therapist experiences first
◦ Then client

31. Token Economy
an operant conditioning procedure that rewards
desired behavior
patient exchanges a token of some sort, earned for
exhibiting the desired behavior, for various
privileges or treats
Tokens: poker chips, coins, tickets, stars, points,
checkmarks, etc. that function as money
◦ Exchanged for back-up reinforcers
◦ Token economy: reinforcement system bases on token

32. Advantages of Tokens
◦ Maintain behavior at a high level
◦ Bridge delay between response and reinforcement
◦ Less subject to satiation
◦ Easily administered
◦ Permits administration of a single reinforcer

33. Behaviors that Earned Points
Watching/reading news 5 per day
Cleaning room 5 per day
Helping parents 10 per day
Doing homework 10 per day
Good grades 20 per day
Not showing tantrums 20 per day

34. Behaviors that Lost Points
Failing grades 5
Speaking aggressively 10
Disobeying 10
Being late 5
Stealing, lying, cheating 50
Not doing home work 20