Chapter 10 - Behaviour and Cognitive Theories Flashcards
Behavioural Therapy
Focus on a wide range of client behaviours.
approach of choice when working with clients who have specific behaviour problems such as eating disorder, substance abuse, psychosexual dysfunction. Useful for anxiety, stress, assertiveness, parenting and social interaction
Founded by: B.F. Skinner (Ivan Pavlov, John Watson, Mory Jones, Albert Bandura, John Kromboltz)
View of Human Natural for Behavioural Counselling
- concentration on behavioural process
- focus on here and now as opposed to then and there
- assumption that all behaviour is learned, adaptive and maladaptive
*focus on setting up well-defined therapy goals - rejection of idea that human personality is composed of traits
Believe in obtaining empirical evidence and scientific support for any techniques they use.
Role of counsellor in Behavioural counselling
Active.
functions as a consultant, teacher, adviser, reinforcer, and facilitator.
Goals of behavioural counselling
Help clients make a good adjustment to life cirucstances and achieve personal and professional objectives.
modify or eliminate maladaptive behaviours that clients display while helping them acquire healthy, constructive ways of acting.
Techniques for behavioural counselling
1) use of reinforcers (increase the probability of a behaviour repeating)
2) Schedules of reinforcement - reinforced every time a behaviour is done when its being learned, then reinforced less frequently when established
3) Shaping - break behaviour down into manageable units
4) Generalization - display of behaviours in environments outside of where they were originally learned (i.e at home/at work)
5) Maintenance - defined as being consistent in performing the desired action without depending on anyone else for support
6) Extinction - elimination of behaviour because of withdrawal of reinforcement
7) Punishment - an aversive stimulus to a situation to suppress or eliminate a behaviour.
Strengths and Contributions of Behavioural Counselling
- Approach deals with symptoms, can provide help immediately
- focuses on here and now, does not have to examine the past to get help in the present
*Saves time and money - numerous techniques for counsellors to use
*based on learning theory, a well-formulated way of documenting how behaviour is acquired - supported by association for behavioural and cognitive therapies
*supported by research - objective in defining and dealing with problems and demystifies counselling process
Limitations of Behavioural Counselling
- Approach does not deal with total person, just behaviour
- critics say they’ve taken the person out of the personality
- can be mechanically applied
- works best in controlled conditions, may not be as easy to replicate in normal circumstances
*ignores past history and unconscious forces - does not consider developmental stages
*programs client towards minimal or tolerable levels of behaviour, reinforces conformity, stifles creativity, ignores clients needs for fulfillment, self-actualization, feelings of self-worth
Cognitive and Cognitive Behavioural Counselling
Focuses on mental processes and their influences on mental health and behaviour. How people think largely determines how they feel and behave.
Cognitive & CBT are good for what kind of people
- average + intelligence
- moderate to high levels of functional distress
*able to identify thoughts and feelings - not psychotic or disabled by present problems
- willing and able to complete systematic homework assignments
- process information on visual and auditory levels
- frequently have inhibited mental functioning such as depression
Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)
Founders: Albert Ellis (Aaron Beck - cognitive theory)
View of human nature in REBT
- people have both self and social interest
- Inherently rational, irrational, sensible and crazy
*children more vulnerable to outside influences and irrational thinking than adults - humans are gullible, highly suggestible and easily disturbed
- people have within themselves to control their thoughts, feelings, actions but must first realize what they are telling themselves (self talk) to gain command of their lives
Role of Counsellor in REBT
active and direct.
teach and correct clients cognition
consistent repetition
Listen for faulty beliefs and challenge them
need to be bright, knowledgable, empathetic, respectful, genuine, concrete, persistent, scientific, interested in helping others, use REBT themselves
Goals of REBT
help people realize they can be more rational and live productive lives
help clients stop catastrophizing.
avoid having more of an emotional response than is warranted.
Change self defeating habits.
ABCDE model of REBT
A - activating experience (i.e a breakup)
B- how person thinks about the experience
C- emotional reaction to B (thoughts)
D- Disputing irrational thoughts…replace with
E- effective thoughts and hopefully new personal philosophy
cognitions
thoughts, beliefs, internal images that people have about events in their lives
Irrational thinking/Beliefs
include the invention of upsetting and disturbing thoughts.
Techniques
Teaching
Disputing
Confrontation
Encouraging
Teaching involves having clients learn basic ideas of REBT and understand how thoughts are linked with emotions and behaviours didactic/directive and known as rational emotive education
3 forms of Disputing
1) Cognitive disputation: use of direct questions, logical reasoning, and persuasion
2)Imaginal disputation - clients ability to imagine and employ a technique known as rational emotive imagery
3) Behavioural disputation - involves behaving in a way that is opposite of the client’s usual way - including role playing and doing activities thought impossible to do.
Strengths and Contributions of REBT
- clear, easily learned, effective
- easily combined with other behavioural techniques to help clients more fully experience what they are learning
*relative short in term, self-help
*great deal of literature and research
*evolved over years with refined techniques
*effective in Major mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety
Limitations of REBT
- cannot be used with those with severe mental problems such as schizophrenics
*too closely associated with the eccentricities of Albert Ellis
*direct, potential for the counsellor to be overzealous and not therapeutic
*emphasis on changing thinking may not be the simplest way of helping clients manage emotions - REBT de-emphasizes working alliance
Reality Therapy (RT)
Founder: William Glasser (Robert Wubbolding)
View of Human Nature:
Major tenet is focus on consciousness, human beings operate on a conscious level, they are not driven by unconscious forces or instincts
Everyone has a health/growth force that is manifest on two levels - the physical and psychological. physically - we need food, water and shelter (old brain)
New brain focuses on psychological needs.
Love and belonging, power, freedom, fun . Associated with meeting these needs is the need for identity.
Humans can change their identity and the way they behave
identity
Development of a psychologically healthy sense of self.
Role of the counsellor in RT
teacher and model
accepting the client in a warm involved way
Counsellors use ing verbs to describe client thoughts and actions… such as angering, bullying etc and emphasis on choice - what the client chooses to do.
Goals in RT
Help clients become psychologically strong and rational and realize they have choices in the ways they treat themselves and others
help clients clarify what they want in life
help client formulate a realistic plan to achieve personal needs and wishes
Have counsellor involved with client in a meaningful relationship - based on understanding, acceptance, empathy, and counsellors willingness to express faith in the clients ability to change
Focus on behaviour and the present. Glasser believes that behaviour (thought and action) is inter-related with feeling and physiology.
eliminate punishment and excuses from the client’s life.
