This PPT is developed for post graduate and under graduate students of psychology. The ppt is comprehensive and will provide a good insight about the behavior approach to counselling or therapy from various perspectives.

1. Behavior Approach
to
Therapy
Dr. Garima Gupta
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology,
Arya Mahila PG College, Admitted to the privileges of BHU
Varanasi

2. Definition of
Behaviour Therapy

3. “It is a form of psychotherapy which focuses on
modifying faculty behaviour rather basic changes in
the personality. Instead of probing the unconscious
or exploring the patient’s thoughts & feelings,
behaviour therapist tries to eliminate the symptoms
& modify ineffective or maladaptive pattern by
applying basic learning techniques.”

4. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
• A type of learning in which a
neutral stimulus is presented
repeatedly with one that
reflexively elicits a particular
response so the neutral
stimulus will eventually elicit
the response itself.
OPERANT CONDITIONING
• A type of learning in which behavior
is increased or decreased by
systemically changing its
consequences.

5. Major Concepts In
Behavior Theory Of
Personality

6.  Overt Behavior- Actions that can be seen directly/observed by others.
 Operant behavior – Behavior that operates on and changes the environment
 Positive reinforcement – A rewarding reinforcement.
 Negative reinforcement – Reinforcing by stopping an aversive stimulus.
 Punishment –A negative stimuli decreasing behavior
 Extinction – Process of eliminating a behavior by ignoring/withholding reward.
 Shaping- Gradually reinforcing certain parts of a behavior to more closely approximate the desired
behavior.
 Generalization- Transferring the response from one type of stimuli to similar stimuli.
 Discrimination- Responding differentially to stimuli that are similarly based on different cues or
antecedent events.

7. Nature of
People

8.  People are essentially born neutral with equal
potential for good or evil and for rationality or
irrationality.
 Behaviorists see individuals as responders and
products of conditioning.
 Our surroundings influence and change children as
biological beings.
 All behavior that is learned and can be unlearned too.
 Behavioral counselor concerned with this unlearning
or re-education process.

9. Key
Principles/Characteristic
s of Behavior Therapy or
approach to counselling

10. Genetics play imperative role however,
individual differences exist because of
different experiences.
Behavior has a purpose.
Behavior has a major contribution in our
thought, habits, emotions and other part
of personality.
Based on principles & procedures of
scientific method.
Deals with client’s current problems
(covert and overt) and factors influencing
them.
Clients participate actively in the therapy
by engaging specific actions to deal with
their problems. Strategies of behavior
may be individualized to particular
person and problem.
Emphasizing on a self-control approach
in which clients learn self-management
strategies and transfer in real life
situation.
Like other therapy or counselling
process, this therapy demands
collaborative partnership between
therapist and client. Therapists strive to
develop culture-specific procedures and
obtain clients’ adherence and
cooperation
It emphasis on practical application
Interventions such as maladaptive
behaviours are to be deceased &
adaptive behaviours are to be increased.

11. Therapeutic
Goals

12. To increase personal choice and to create new conditions for learning.
Client, with help of therapist, defines specific goals at outset of therapeutic process.
Counsellor and client discuss the behaviours associated with goals, the circumstances required
for change, the nature of sub-goals, to reconsider client’s initial goals, or to seek services of
another practitioner.
 Overcoming deficits in behaviour repertories.
Strengthening adaptive behaviours.
 Absence of debilitating anxiety reactions.
 The ability to assert oneself.
To develop effective social skills
To develop capacity for self control.
(RichardNelson-Jones, 2011)

13. Therapist
Function & Role

14. Active, directive and problem-solvers.
Pay attention to clues presented by client.
Clinician follows his/her clinical hunches.
Therapist may use some techniques common to
other approaches (e.g., summarizing, reflection,
clarification, & open-ended questioning).
Therapist may act as a role-model for the client.

15. Clients are taught concrete skills.
Clients are motivated to change.
Clients are given large exposure
(options) for adaptive behaviors.
Clients are encouraged to continue
implementing new behaviors.
 Therapeutic relationship brings major change in
behavior.
 The client’s positive expectations and hope for change
contribute leads to successful outcomes in therapeutic
process.
 Common factors (warm, empathy, acceptance et al.) are
essential but not adequate for behavior change to take
place.
 The notion behind the behavior therapy is that
progress is due to particular behavioral techniques
instead of therapeutic relationship only.
Client’s Experience in Therapy Relationship Between
Therapist and Client

16. Steps in
Behavior
therapy
1)Identify
the
problem
Identify
goals
Strategies
Implement
the plan
Assess
progress
Continue
the
process

17. Process of
Therapy

18.  Therapist/Counselor and client determine target
behaviors to focus on.
 Therapist/Counselor forms hypotheses about what is
maintaining the client’s current problematic
behavior(s)
 In short, functional analysis of behavior is performed
followed by ABC (Antecedents - Behavior-
Consequences) or SRC (Stimulus- Response-
Consequences).
 Behavior therapist differ in the extent to which they
gather historical material concerning how the
presenting concerns were learned.
To establishment of the working
alliance.
To identify target behaviors.
To gather information about
what maintains the target
behaviors.
To teach the client about
behavior therapy.
Assessment Intervention

19. Advantages

20.  Use of wide variety of specific techniques for
change in behaviour.
 Behavioural techniques have implications for both
human functioning as well as therapeutic
approaches.
 Major contribution is its emphasis on research &
assessment of treatment outcomes.
 Since, techniques used are empirically tested that
provides assurance that clients are receiving both
effective and brief treatment (Corey, 2005).
 Emphasis on ethical accountability (does not
dictate whose behavior or what behavior should
be changed) (Corey, 2005).
Behavior therapists are willing to examine the
effectiveness of their procedures in terms of
generalizability, meaningfulness, and durability
of change.
While using techniques in therapy, it
accomplishes what the theory predicts will
happen (Guilliard, James & Bowman, 1994).
Evidence-based therapies (EBT) are a hallmark
of both behaviour therapy and cognitive
behaviour therapy (Cummings, 2002).

21. Limitations of
Behaviour Therapy

22.  Behaviour therapy may change behaviours, but it does not change feelings.
 It ignores the vital relational factors in therapy.
 Behaviour therapy does not provide insight (Corey, 2005)
 Behaviour therapy focuses more on treating symptoms rather than causes
(Corey, 2005)
 Behaviour therapy involves both control and manipulation by therapist.
 Largely, the efficacy of evidences are tested on animal research (Weiten,
2007)
 Denies the existence of free will and the importance of cognitive processes
(Weiten, 2007).