Behaviour therapy
Behaviour Therapy
Behaviour therapy (pronounced: /bɪˈheɪvjər θɛrəpi/) is a broad term referring to clinical psychotherapy that uses techniques derived from behaviourism and/or cognitive psychology. It looks at specific, learned behaviours and how the environment, or other people's mental states, influences those behaviours, and consists of techniques based on learning theory, such as respondent or operant conditioning.
Etymology
The term "Behaviour therapy" is derived from the English word "behaviour," which comes from the Old French behaivior, meaning "bearing, conduct," and the Greek therapeia meaning "healing."
Related Terms
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A type of psychological treatment that helps patients understand the thoughts and feelings that influence behaviours.
- Behaviour Modification: The systematic approach to changing behaviour.
- Operant Conditioning: A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behaviour.
- Respondent Conditioning: Also known as classical or Pavlovian conditioning, it is a form of learning that pairs a neutral stimulus with a response until the stimulus elicits the response.
- Psychotherapy: The use of psychological methods to help a person change behaviour and overcome problems in desired ways.
Techniques
Behaviour therapy uses a range of techniques to help individuals overcome maladaptive behaviours. These techniques are based on learning theory, which suggests that maladaptive behaviours are learned in the same way as adaptive behaviours and can therefore be unlearned. Techniques include:
- Systematic Desensitization: A type of exposure therapy that involves gradually exposing the patient to the anxiety-causing object, situation, or thought to lessen the fear response.
- Aversion Therapy: A form of psychological treatment where the patient is exposed to a stimulus while simultaneously being subjected to some form of discomfort.
- Flooding: A form of exposure therapy that involves exposing the patient to a large amount of an anxiety-causing stimulus in order to reduce anxiety.
- Token Economy: A system of behaviour modification based on the systematic reinforcement of target behaviour.
Applications
Behaviour therapy has been applied to a broad range of psychological disorders, including Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It is also used in treating Substance Abuse and in behaviour modification programs for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Behaviour therapy
- Wikipedia's article - Behaviour therapy
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