What is Behavior Therapy?

[@wardellwhittaker859]

Dr. Grande, your example of the intimidating dog and the squeaky gate is the best example yet. Further, your description of BT leads me to believe that it should rarely be used by itself but instead as a complement to other modalities.

[@ashleymegahan5966]

I found this video on behavior therapy to be educational and useful in my studies. It was helpful to have the criticisms of behavior therapy explained and I found it helpful to hear Dr. Grande's response to the criticisms.

[@jillbeck6917]

I agree. The simple explanation of classical and operant conditioning was helpful. I can see its usefulness for phobia and agree that it is too simplistic to be used alone for more complex problems.

[@deekayvixen]

I studied ABA to become a behavior therapist, but dropped out of the program for the reasons you mentioned. It was so robotic and restrictive. And as a therapist, you basically sit there and collect raw data. Charting was a huge focus. I think that the human element was missing for me.

[@wandamixon5360]

Your differentiation between Behavior Therapy and Behaviorism is helpful as it can be a bit tricky to define each. Though not thorough, my summary follows. The theory or explanation of Behaviorism is controversial and not comprehensive, such as the inclusion of human mental processes. Where Behaviorism is limited to stimulus and response, Behavior Therapy offers greater explanation of learning and involves treatment using classical conditioning and operant conditioning. The lesser used, classical conditioning involves pairing stimuli, conditioned (squeak) with unconditioned (fear). Operant conditioning involves reward (a good grade) as a motivator and punishment (poor grade). Operant conditioning includes the concepts of schedules (good grade(s) and extinction (no grade) as well as specific techniques originating from Behaviorism. These techniques include Establishing a token economy, Flooding, the Premack principle, Shaping, and Systematic desensitization. A criticism of Behavior Therapy is that it's manipulative, however, proper disclosure can remedy this concern. Behavior Therapy is usually integrated with another modality, such as Cognitive Therapy.

[@dHunter94]

Behaviorism is remarkably strict and doesn’t seem as if it would be beneficial for most individuals. Because the mind, thoughts, and moods are not considered, the individual may not be genuinely benefitting from the therapeutic relationship. In my opinion, behaviors are more easily altered than one’s feelings or thoughts. BT and Behaviorism do not appear to be an all-encompassing therapy modality that may be relevant within the treatment of mental disorders. In summary, this video was very informative, thank you, Dr. Grande!

[@conleycd]

In Radical Behaviorism - emotions, feelings and thoughts ARE behaviors. Everything the organism does is behavior. Most CBT is based on behaviorism. Successful treatments for PTSD and personality disorders are almost completely based on behaviorism. Good behavior therapy is warm, client focused, and extremely effective.

[@magdalena4683]

Great video, Dr. Grande! Your precise explanations are always spot on and helpful. After reading my text materials for classes, I still want your professional input as well. Thanks for sharing your information!

[@mirimiriela480]

This is an excellent, thorough explanation of why ABA is dehumanizing and abusive. ABA would be an example of a therapy where behavioral therapy is the only modality used. Additionally, clients, who are typically autistic children, are either a) not given the information necessary to understand and consent to it or b) incapable of giving such consent. Not only is insight not important, it is assumed the client is incapable of insight, and typically, any insight shown by the client is disregarded. Furthermore, ABA is treated as the most important and, oftentimes, only important therapy, which is a serious concern given that it is one-dimensional and reduces all learning to a model that doesn't explain all learning.

[@ivengrowe4783]

My take away is that the therapy is strict and all learning is stimulus and response based. It can be manipulative because it tricks clients into performing or not performing certain behaviors. The video made clear that Behavior Therapy is only to be integrated with other modalities. The examples of Classical and Operant Conditioning was clear and understood.

[@shauntaepacheco509]

Thanks for sharing the criticism and your insight regarding Behaviorism and behavioral therapy. The distinction between the two was very helpful. I can appreciate different aspects of the theory and believe that it has a place when integrated with other modalities.

[@jobond3317]

Really explanation and engaging. A great video

[@virginiamurrey9139]

This video was very helpful in looking at the differences and similarities between behavioral therapy and behaviorism. This is a very good reference to use in the future.

[@NighthawkMS]

This was a good overview of Behavioral therapy. I'm curious to know if any practicioners only practice behavioral therapy today and whether that can be considered an ethical therapeutic stance?

[@bumpyface228]

Excellently done

[@Howtoeatrocks]

Do not subject anyone to ABA. Please. If you know a loved one who's considering it please do your best to deter them. It's humiliating and degrading and causes intense distress to the person going through it often resulting in SI and anxiety skyrocketing. Work with the person to make their life more accessible, don't punish them for being distressed.

[@marlenesilva36]

Thank you so much.

[@samanthajazmin5343]

thanks for explaining it so well:)

[@LolaColombiana]

I have bpd and this came up as an.option ? to treat me ? where and.how.exactly are these therapies taking place?

[@dvbrown60]

Thank you!

[@marian9802]

Thanks

[@johnharrisjr2808]

This video describes behavior therapy & behaviorism. In the video it says that insight doesn't have value in behaviorism. How does that apply to classical and operant conditioning?

[@wandamixon5360]

It infers that we do not need to understand to change behavior. Does it not?

[@janpahl6015]

Sorry Dr grande, you missed that behaviorist uses biology relevance also, thats why behaviorist makes experiments with ethologist, biologist, neuroscience, medical and pharmaceutical research, etc.... remember, behaviorist theory was born inside physiology, not inside the stupid dualism between mid and matter. Behaviorist theory had that bad propaganda because of Watson and Skinner first works and stupid war between him and people like Konrad lorenz and Niko tinbergen

[@jobond3317]

So get rid of the dog. That's what I would do