Ch 14 Behavior Therapy Flashcards
behavior therapy
an approach to psychotherapy emphasizing empiricism, observable and quantifiable problems and progress, and a lack of speculation about internal mental processes
Ivan Pavlov (late 1800s to early 1900s)
an important figure in history of behavior therapy; a researcher whose classical conditioning studies provided a foundation for many behavioral techniques
- study: dog v bell and salvation
- classical conditioning
John Watson
an important figure in the history of behavior therapy and early promoter of behaviorism in the United States
- effort to bring classical conditioning to US
B.F. Skinner
a pioneer of behaviorism whose experimentation on the law of effect and operant conditioning formed the foundation for many forms of behavior therapy
- law of effect / operant conditioning
Edward Lee Thorndike
a pioneer in the study of intelligence who promoted the idea that each person possess separate, independent intelligence; also, a leading researcher in the area of operant conditioning and the law of effect
law of effect
- Thorndike’s research with cats
- law stated that all organisms pay attention to the consequences (or effects) of their actions
- pleasurable consequences result in reoccurring actions
- unpleasant/negative consequences result in actions to be less likely to occur
Goal of behavior therapy
- primary goal is observable behavior change
- emphasis on empiricism
- defining problems behaviorally
- measuring change observably
emphasis on empiricism
- study of human behavior should be scientific
- clinical methods should be scientifically evaluated via testable hypotheses and empirical data based on observable variables
e.g. baseline measures of problem behavior at treatment outset; subsequent measures after some therapy
testable hypothesis
in behavior therapy, an essential feature of theories underlying problem behaviors whereby theories can be empirically supported, refuted, modified, and retested
empirical data
an essential feature of behavior therapy that can take the form of frequencies of problem behavior at various points in therapy
defining problems behaviorally
- client behaviors are not symptoms of some underlying problem
- those behaviors are the problems
- behavior definitions make it easy to identify target behaviors and measure changes in therapy
- clients’ own definitions can be very hard to assess or measure
measuring change observably
- use unambiguous definitions of change
- introspection is not an acceptable way to measure progress - not directly observable
observable changes
an essential feature of behavior therapy; therapeutic changes that are directly observable rather than inferred
introspection
the process of looking inside the mind for evidence of mental processes or therapeutic change, rejected by behaviorists for its lack of objectivity
- not an ideal way for measuring change observably
Goal of behavior therapy
- primary goal is observable behavior change
- emphasis on empiricism
- defining problems behaviorally
- measuring change observably
classical conditioning
- conditioning in which an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response is paired with a conditioned stimulus such that the conditioned stimulus elicits a similar response (labeled as the conditioned response)
- passive type of learning
generalization - in classical conditioning, a process by which the conditioned response is evoked by stimuli that are similar to, but not an exact match for, the conditioned stimulus
discrimination - in classical conditioning, a process by which the conditioned response is not evoked by stimuli that are similar to, but not an exact match for, the conditioned stimulus
testable hypothesis
in behavior therapy, an essential feature of theories underlying problem behaviors whereby theories can be empirically supported, refuted, modified, and retested
empirical data
an essential feature of behavior therapy that can take the form of frequencies of problem behavior at various points in therapy
defining problems behaviorally
- client behaviors are not symptoms of some underlying problem
- those behaviors are the problems
- behavior definitions make it easy to identify target behaviors and measure changes in therapy
- clients’ own definitions can be very hard to assess or measure
measuring change observably
- use unambiguous definitions of change
- introspection is not an acceptable way to measure progress - not directly observable
observable changes
an essential feature of behavior therapy; therapeutic changes that are directly observable rather than inferred
exposure therapy based on classical conditioning
- a form of behavioral therapy based on classical conditioning in which clients gradually face a feared object or situation
- “facing your fear”
- often used to treat anxiety disorders, phobias
- client is repeatedly “exposed” to the feared object and the expected aversive outcome does not take place -> client no longer experiences the fear response
- exposure is typically gradual (“graded” exposure), following an anxiety hierarchy
- exposure can be imaginal or in vivo (real)
- exposure and response prevention for OCD
- prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD
- exposure therapy for specific phobia
two types of conditioning
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
classical conditioning
- conditioning in which an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response is paired with a conditioned stimulus such that the conditioned stimulus elicits a similar response (labeled as the conditioned response)
- passive type of learning
unconditioned stimulus
the stimulus that elicits the unconditioned response before any conditioning has taken place
Before conditioning: Food
unconditioned response
the response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus before any conditioning has taken place
Before conditioning: Salvation to food
conditioned stimulus
the stimulus paired with the unconditioned stimulus that ultimately elicits the conditioned response
After conditioning: Sound of bell
exposure and response prevention
a particular form of exposure therapy - and an example of an evidence-based practice - that has received substantial empirical support for the treatment of OCD
systematic desensitization
a form of behavior therapy based on classical conditioning involving re-pairing (or counterconditioning) the feared object with a new response, such as relaxation, that is incompatible with anxiety
- often used for phobias and anxiety disorders
- similar to exposure including relaxation training
- bc relaxation is incompatible with anxiety
- counterconditioning occurs when relaxation response replaces anxiety response
exposure therapy based on classical conditioning
- a form of behavioral therapy based on classical conditioning in which clients gradually face a feared object or situation
- “facing your fear”
- often used to treat anxiety disorders, phobias
- client is repeatedly “exposed” to the feared object and the expected aversive outcome does not take place -> client no longer experiences the fear response
- exposure is typically gradual (“graded” exposure), following an anxiety hierarchy
- exposure can be imaginal or in vivo (real)
- exposure and response prevention for OCD
- prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD
- exposure therapy for specific phobia
imaginal exposure
in exposure therapy, exposure to anxiety-provoking objects via imagination, in contrast to in vivo exposure
in vivo exposure
in exposure therapy, exposure to anxiety-provoking objects in real life, in contrast to imaginal exposure
graded exposure
in exposure therapy, a gradual approach to exposing clients to feared objects or situations
anxiety hierchary
in exposure therapy, a rank-ordered list of anxiety-provoking stimuli to which the client will be gradually exposed
techniques based on operant conditioning
- contingency management / reinforcement & punishment & extinction
- extinction
- token economies
- shaping
- behavioral activation
- observational learning (modeling)
contingency management
a form of behavior therapy based on operant conditioning in which the consequences following selected behaviors are changed to produce more desirable behavior
- powerful way to change behavior
counter-conditioning
re-pairing a conditioned stimulus with a response that is incompatible with the previously conditioned response; an essential component of systematic desensitization
relaxation training
the first step of systematic desensitization in which the behavior therapist teaches the client progressive relaxation techniques that induce a relaxation response incompatible with anxiety
assertiveness training
a form of behavioral therapy based on classical conditioning in which clients improve on timid, apprehensive, or ineffectual social behaviors
- uses both exposure therapy and elements of systematic desensitization
- exposure therapy: facing interpersonal fears
- syst. desensit.: counterconditioning - replacing relaxation with assertiveness
- begins with direct instructions from the behavior therapists with which the client is taught specifically what to say and do in a particular situation
operant conditioning
conditioning in which the organism “operates” on the environment, notices the consequences of the behavior, and incorporates those consequences into decisions regarding future behavior
contingencies
the “if…, then…” statements connecting actions to outcomes that organisms learn through operant conditioning
techniques based on operant conditioning
- contingency management / reinforcement & punishment
- extinction
- token economies
- shaping
- behavioral activation
- observational learning (modeling)
aversion therapy
a form of contingency management therapy that emphasizes the use of punishment as a consequence for an unwanted behavior
extinction
the removal of an expected reinforcement that results in a decrease in the frequency of a behavior
- effective way to decrease unwanted behaviors
- initially can cause extinction burst but ultimately if reinforcement is still withheld, decrease will occur
extinction burst
in behavior therapy, the initial increase in intensity of the unwanted behavior immediately after the expected reinforcement is removed
token economy
a form of behavior therapy based on operant conditioning in which clients earn tokens, exchangeable for reinforcements, for performing predetermined target behavior
- most feasible in sites where behavior is continuously monitored
shaping
in behavior therapy, reinforcement successive approximations of the target behavior
- reward each “baby steps” toward the desired behavior
- best for changing behaviors that are complex, challenging, or novel for client
behavioral activation
a form of behavior therapy for depression, the goal of which is to increase the frequency of behaviors that are positively reinforcing to the client
- behavioral activation –> activate behavior –> encourage of certain behavior/actions –> target depressive clients to do things that were once enjoyable.
- based on the idea that depressed people lack positive reinforcement
- goal: increase frequency of positively reinforcing behaviors
- structured daily routine incl rewarding behavior
observational learning
in behavior therapy, conditioning that takes place when the individual observes contingencies applied to others rather than the self; also known as modeling and social learning
Albert Bandura
a leading researcher in the area of observational learning, modeling, and social learning
two observational learning strategies
- imitation
- vicarious learning
imitation
client simply mimics the modeled behavior
vicarious learning
client observes not only the modeled behavior but also the model receiving the consequences for that modeled behavior
behavioral consultation
an indirect alternative to behavior therapy whereby the therapist serves as a consultant to an individual such as a parent, teacher, or supervisor who ultimately implements the behavioral interventions with the client in the natural setting
- indirect way for therapist to modify a client’s behavior
- 3 parties involved: the client, the consultee, and the consultant (therapist)
- consultee spends significant time in natural setting with client
5 stages of behavioral consultation
- initiation of the consulting relationship
- problem identification
- problem analysis
- plan implementation
- plan evaluation
parent training
parents seek help with problematic behaviors of their children
teacher training
teachers seek help with problematic behaviors of their students
how well does behavior therapy work?
- behavioral therapists have a significant amount of empirical support, especially in comparison to most other forms of therapy
- esp for anxiety disorders, PTSD, depression, and children’s behavior disorders
- may also be most empirically testable forms of therapy
