Theoretical Approaches

Question 1

Behavior Modifications

Answer 1

Used to modify behaviors, observe, and measure how clients respond to certain triggers.

Question 2

Cognitive Therapy

Answer 2

Helps overcome difficulties by identifying and changing dysfunctional, and negative thoughts.

Question 3

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)

Answer 3

Confrontational approach helps stop negative/irrational thoughts.

Question 4

Crisis Intervention

Answer 4

Assist the person in distress to resolve the immediate problem and regain emotional equilibrium. Goal is met in the first session. Clients are more willing to listen to the therapist when in crisis.

Question 5

Narrative Therapy

Answer 5

Therapist co-constructs alternative positive stories with the client.

Question 6

Ecological System/Life Model

Answer 6

Focus on life transitions, environmental pressures, fit between client and their environment.

Question 7

Strengths Perspective

Answer 7

Identify strengths of a client and then build on strengths to empower clients.

Question 8

Psycho-Analysis

Answer 8

Long term treatment to resolve inner conflicts and past experiences.

Question 9

Gestalt Therapy

Answer 9

Assist clients with awareness and “here and now.” Ex: Empty Chair Technique

Question 10

Moral Development (Kohlberg):

1. Preconventional
2. Conventional
3. Postconventional

Answer 10

Assist clients to explore decision making/right from wrong.

1. Stage 1 (Elementary school level-before age 9): Child obeys an authority figure out of fear of punishment. Obedience/punishment. Stage 2: child acts acceptably as it is in her or his best interests. Conforms to rules to receive rewards.
2. Follow stereotypic norms of morality, Stage 3 (Early adolescence): Person acts gain approval from others. “Good boy/good girl” orientation. Stage 4: obeys laws and fulfills obligations and duties to maintain social system. Rules are rules. Avoids censure and guilt.
3. Stage 5 (Adult): Genuine interest in welfare of others and concerned with individual rights and being morally right. Stage 6: Guided by individual principles based on broad, universal ethical principles. Concern for larger universal issues of morality.

Question 11

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Answer 11

Helps clients to change behavior patterns. Mostly used with Borderline clients.

Question 12

System Theory

Answer 12

• A system is a whole comprising component parts that work together. Applied to social work, systems theory views human behavior through larger contexts, such as members of families, communities, and broader society
• In system theory, when one thing changes within a system, the whole system is affected.
• Systems tend toward equilibrium and can have closed or open boundaries.

Question 13

Some System Theory Terms:

1. Closed System
2. Differentation
3. Entropy
4. Equifinality
5. Homeostasis
6. Input

Answer 13

1. Uses up its energy and dies
2. Becoming specialized in structure and function
3. Closed, disorganized, stagnant, and using up available energy
4. Arriving at the same end from different beginnings
5. Steady state
6. obtaining resources from the environment that are necessary to attain the goals of the system

Question 14

Some System Theory Terms:

7. Negative Entropy
8. Open System
9. Output
10. Subsystem
11. Suprasystem
12. Throughput

Answer 14

7. Exchange of energy and resources between systems that promote growth and transformation
8. A system with cross-boundary exchange
9. A product of system that exports to the environment
10. A major component of a system made up of 2 or more interdependent components that interact in order to attain their own purpose(s) and the purpose(s) of the system in which they are embedded
11. An entity that is served by a number of component systems organized in interacting relationships
12. energy that is integrated into the system so it can be used by the system to accomplish its goals

Question 15

Behavioral Theory:

Respondent and Operant

Answer 15

There are 2 fundamental classes of behavior:

1. Respondent: Involuntary behavior (anxiety and sexual response) that is automatically elicited by certain behavior. A stimulus elicits a response.
2. Operant: Voluntary behavior (walking and talking) that is controlled by its consequences in the environment.

Question 16

Respondent or Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)

Answer 16

-Learning occurs as a result of pairing previously neutral (conditioned) stimulus with an unconditioned (involuntary) stimulus so that the conditioned stimulus eventually elicits the response normally elicited by the unconditioned stimulus.

• Unconditioned Stimulus = Unconditioned Response
• Unconditioned Stimulus+ Conditioned Response= Unconditioned Response
• Conditioned Stimulus = Conditioned Response

Question 17

Operant Conditioning (B.F. Skinner)- 4 Operant Techniques:

1. Positive reinforcement
2. Negative reinforcement
3. Positive Punishment
4. Negative Punishment

Answer 17

1. Increases probability that behavior will occur (praising, giving tokens, or otherwise rewarding positive behavior).
2. Behavior increases because a negative (aversive) stimulus is removed (i.e., remove shock)
3. Presentation of undesirable stimulus following a behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e, hitting and shocking)
4. Removal of a desirable stimulus following a behavior for the purpose of decreasing or eliminating that behavior (i.e, removing something positive, such as a token or dessert).

Question 18

Specific Behavioral Terms:

1. Aversion therapy
2. Biofeedback
3. Extinction
4. Flooding
5. In vivo desensitization

Answer 18

1. Any treatment aimed at reducing the attractiveness of a stimulus or a behavior by repeated pairing of it with an aversive stimulus. EX: it treats alcoholism with Antabuse
2. Behavior training program that teaches a person how to control certain functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and muscular tension. EX: it is use for ADHD and panic/anxiety disorders.
3. Withholding a reinforcer that normally follows a behavior. Behavior that fails to produce reinforcement will eventually cease.
4. A treatment procedure in which a client’s anxiety is extinguished by prolonged real or imagined exposure to high intensity feared stimuli.
5. Pairing and movement through anxiety hierarchy from least to most anxiety provoking situation and takes place in real setting.

Question 19

Specific Behavioral Terms:

6. Modeling
7. Shaping
8. Systemic desensitization
9. Timeout
10. Token Economy

Answer 19

6. Method of instruction that involves an individual (the model) demonstrating the behavior to be acquired by a client.
7. Method used to train a new behavior by prompting and reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior.
8. An anxiety-inhibiting response cannot occur at the same time as the anxiety response. Anxiety-producing stimulus is paired with relaxation-producing response so that eventually an anxiety-producing stimulus produces a relaxation response. At each step a client’s reaction of fear or dread is overcome by pleasant feelings engendered as the new behavior is reinforced by receiving a reward. The reward could be a compliment, a gift, or relaxation.
9. Removal of something desirable-negative punishment technique.
10. A client receives tokens as reinforcement for performing specified behaviors. The tokens function as currency within the environment and can be exchanged for desired goods, services, or privileges.