Act for Recovery
Sandra Rasmussen in Developing Competencies for Recovery, 2023
Clinical application of behavioral psychology followed, especially the use of behavior modification in the 1940s and 1950s. Behavior modification relies on many principles of behavioral psychology including reinforcement, punishment, extinction shaping, fading, and chaining. Later in the 1950s, American psychologist Albert Ellis created rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). REBT is an action-oriented approach to managing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disturbances. REBT influenced the development of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) by Aaron Beck in the1960s (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) by Marsha Linehan in the 1970s, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) by Steven C. Hayes in the 1980s. Key concepts from behavioral psychology that are used in behavioral therapies include systematic desensitization, exposure and response prevention, token economy, modeling, applied behavior analysis, and contingency management.
Behavioral modification
G. Michael Steelman, Eric C. Westman in Obesity, 2016
Many studies have shown that IT can lead to weight normalization (43). IT has a more individualized focused approach to emotional triggers and reframing of previous experiences. Due to the high prevalence of depression as a coexisting condition with obesity, it is recommended that a depression screen be performed on initial exam (44). You may prefer to refer the patient to a skilled psychiatrist or psychotherapist for more in-depth counseling, especially if the patient has a past personal history of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Several other approaches to behavioral modification are available and can be used within your practice, particularly if you or a staff member or colleague has some psychotherapy training. But some simple brief interventions, focused on one behavior change per visit, can be implemented by a well-trained clinician within the constructs of brief follow-up visits.
Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events
Stanley R. Resor, Henn Kutt in The Medical Treatment of Epilepsy, 2020
The therapeutic approach to this group is again insight therapy, which generally will require a longer course, or behavioral modification in the lower-functioning individuals. The emphasis in patients of normal or subnormal intelligence which distinguishes the approach from the highlighter or misinterpretation groups is that the patient needs to learn alternative coping skills. In the highlighter and misinterpretation groups persistence of the episodes is discouraged by therapy, whereas in this group the persistence of the episodes is deemphasized. As the patient learns alternative coping skills, the need for this pathologic coping will dissipate. Consequently, the patient is given license to persist in the spells while through insight therapy more appropriate coping skills be developed. In the behavior modification group (subnormal intelligence), the approach is a positive reinforcement for the demonstration of appropriate coping skills as opposed to the event being secondarily reinforced.
Behavior Contracts Are Not Psychologically Naïve
Published in The American Journal of Bioethics, 2023
A behaviorally-focused approach is consistent with well-established fundamentals of behavioral psychology and applied behavioral modification techniques (Cooper, Heron, and Heward 2019). As it has been refined, applied behavior theory demonstrates that it is possible to encourage appropriate behaviors and decrease maladaptive behaviors by modifying the preceding stimuli and following consequences without extensive exploration of an individual’s underlying thoughts or motivations (Early and Grady 2017). It is this simplicity that encourages their use for reinforcing appropriate behavioral norms in medical settings broadly and mental health treatment settings specifically. For example, inpatient behavioral health treatment units often utilize a simple reward and demerit system to encourage health-promoting behaviors, such as active participation in group therapy, and to discourage unhealthy behaviors, such as skipping group therapy. Why someone may desire to skip group therapy is worth exploring. However, failing to attend group therapy for any reason undermines the likelihood of psychological healing. The same rationale applies to behavior contracts to shape patient or family behaviors through rewards and simple punishments.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Care: Contemporary Practices and Introduction of the 5S Model
Published in Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2022
Casey D. Calhoun, Elizabeth A. Nick, Kyrill Gurtovenko, Aaron J. Vaughn, Shannon W. Simmons, Rebecca Taylor, Eileen Twohy, Jessica Flannery, Alysha D. Thompson
Behavioral modification has traditionally centered on managing problematic behavior through use of rewards and consequences (Johnson et al., 2014). Behavior modification programs utilize a point or level system that consistently reinforces appropriate behavior (e.g., sticker charts, token economy) and provides consequences for inappropriate behavior (e.g., loss of privileges, time-out; Dean et al., 2007). Behavioral modification programs can lead to reductions in aggressive behavior as well as fewer seclusion and physical restraint events (Carlson et al., 2020; Dean et al., 2007). However, others have argued that the use of punitive consequences can increase negative interactions between patients and staff, thereby decreasing its therapeutic function (Ercole-Fricke et al., 2016).
An Individualized Program to Treat a Child Who is “Gaming the System:” A Case Report
Published in Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2020
Anne S. Morrow, Micaela Baldivieso Gutierrez, Elizabeth M. Gnagy, Andrew R. Greiner, Erika K. Coles
Further, we clarify that an important component of high-quality treatment for children with CU traits involves the adequate containment of a child, defined as adults’ ability to impose firm limits and to prevail if there is a conflict (Schneider et al., 2003). Evidence-based treatment for children with DBD typically involves increasing the structure in a child’s life to best align the occurrence of appropriate behavior with access reinforcers (e.g., Pelham et al., 2015). The ability to successfully withhold access to reinforcement in the case of maladaptive behavior is central to the paradigm of behavior modification. The child’s perception of containment is particularly important, as lower perceived containment is related to higher levels of externalizing behavior (Schneider et al., 2003). The improvement in Lucas’ behavior in response to the “mystery” DRC procedure was likely related to the highly controlled, well-staffed context of the STP, which probably increased both his actual and perceived containment relative to other settings in his life.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Behaviorism
- Classical Conditioning
- Extinction
- Operant Conditioning
- Reinforcement
- Flooding
- Radical Behaviorism
- Transactional Analysis
- Punishment