Behavior therapy is a psychological treatment based on experimental psychology that aims to change symptoms and behavior. It originated in the 1950s with the work of B.F. Skinner and Joseph Wolpe, who developed techniques like systematic desensitization to treat phobias. Behavior therapy identifies maladaptive behaviors and seeks to correct them by applying principles of learning from classical and operant conditioning theories. Common behavior therapy techniques include shaping, modeling, contingency contracting, time out, and systematic desensitization which works to gradually expose patients to anxiety-provoking stimuli. However, behavior therapy has limitations in that it may change behaviors but not underlying feelings, and does not fully address the emotional process or importance of the client-therapist relationship.

1. Behavior Therapy Sathish RAJAMANI M.Sc (N) Lecturer AMCON

2. Behavior Therapy Definition * The term behavior therapy is applied to psychological treatment based on experimental psychology and intended to change symptoms and behavior.

3. ORIGIN OF BEHAVIOUR THERAPY Reward and punishment systems have been used throughout recorded history in an attempt to influence behavior, from child rearing to the criminal justice system. Modern behavioral therapy began in the 1950s with the work of B.F. Skinner and Joseph Wolpe. Wolpe treated his patients who suffered from phobias with a technique he developed called systematic desensitization

4. DESENSITIZATION Desensitization involved gradually exposing a patient to an anxiety-provoking stimuli until the anxiety response was extinguished, or eliminated

5. Behavior Therapy Identifying Maladaptive Behavior & Seeks to correct these by applying the principles of learning derived from the following theories. 1. Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov, 1936) 2. Operant Conditioning (BF Skinner, 1953)

6. Behavior Therapy Theories

7. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING Classical Conditioning is a term used to describe learning which has been acquired through experience.

8. Behavior Therapy Theories

9. OPERANT CONDITIONING Skinner introduced a behavioral technique he called operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is based on the idea that an individual will choose his behavior based on past experiences of consequences of that behavior. If a behavior was associated with positive reinforcements or rewards in the past, the individual will choose it over behavior associated with punishments

10. ASSUMPTIONS All behaviours are learned, (Adaptive & Maladaptive). Human beings are passive organisms that can be conditioned or shaped to do anything. Maladaptive behavior can be unlearned and replaced by adaptive behavior if the person receives exposures to specific stimuli and reinforcement.

11. ASSUMPTIONS Cont………. Behavior assessment is focused more on the current behavior rather than on historical antecedents. Treatment strategies are individually tailored.

12. TECHNIQUES SHAPING MODELING PREMACK PRINCIPLE EXTINCTION TOKEN ECONOMY CONTIGENCY CONTRACTING FLOODING TIME OUT RECIPROCAL INHIBITION OVERT SENSITIZATION COVERT SENSITIZATION SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION

13. SHAPING Reinforcements are given for increasingly closer approximations to the desired response. Example: Autistic Child

14. MODELING Modeling refers to the learning of new behaviors by imitating the behaviors in others. Role Models Children imitate the behaviors of their parents, teachers and friends. In therapeutic setting clients imitate the behaviors of their care providers.

15. PREMACK PRINCIPLE This technique is named after its originator . A frequently occurring response (R1) can serves as a positive reinforcement for a response (R2) that occurs less frequently.

16. EXTINCTION It is a gradual decrease in frequency or disappearance of response when the positive reinforcement is withheld. Example: Temper Tantrum Child

17. CONTIGENCY CONTRACTING A contract is drawn up among all parties involved. The behavior change that is desired is stated explicitly in writing. The contract specifies the desired behavior change, the negative consequences or punishment that will be rendered for not fulfilling the terms of contract are also delineated. ted.

18. TOKEN ECONOMY TE is a type of CC (may or may not a written contract) in which the reinforcer for desired behaviors are presented in the form of token. Tokens are awarded when desired behaviors are performed, and may exchanged for designated privileges. Example: By using the token, client can buy a cigarettes, or snacks .

19. TIME OUT Time out is an aversive stimulus or punishment during which the client is removed from the environment when the desired behavior is being is exhibited.

20. RECIPROCAL INHIBITION Also called as Counter Conditioning. Reciprocal Inhibition decreases or eliminates a behavior by introducing a more adaptive behavior. Example: Introduction of relaxation exercises to an individual who is phobic.

21. OVERT SENSITIZATION It is a type of aversive technique, that produces unpleasant response to the undesirable behavior. Example: Disulfiram (Antabuse)

22. COVERT SENSITIZATION It relies on the individual’s imagination to produce unpleasant symptoms rather than on medication. The individual learns, through mental imagery, to visualize nauseating scenes. The primary advantage of covert sensitization is that the individual does not have to perform undesired behaviors but simply imagines them.

23. SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION It is a technique for assisting individuals to overcome their fear of phobic stimulus. It is a “systematic”, in that there is a hierarchy of anxiety producing events through which the individual progresses during therapy.

24. SD Example A hierarchy of events associated with a fear of elevators may be as follows Discuss riding an elevator with the therapist Look at a picture of an elevator Walk into the building and see the elevator Push the button for the elevator Walk inside the elevator with the trusted person Ride the elevator with trusted persons Ride the elevator without trusted person

25. FLOODING This technique is some times called as implosive therapy, used to desensitizes the phobic stimulus. It differs from SD, in that instead of working up a hierarchy of anxiety producing stimuli, the individual is flooded with a continuous presentation of the phobic stimulus until it no longer elicits .

26. Behavior Therapy LIMITATIONS OF BEHAVIOR THERAPY Behavior therapy may change behaviors, but it does not change feelings Does not deal with the emotional process as fully as other approaches Relationship between client and therapist is discounted