Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies - Unit 5

behavior therapy

therapeutic techniques that act directly on problem behaviors using learning principles

counterconditioning

a behavior therapy procedure that uses classical conditioning to evoke new responses to stimuli that are triggering unwanted behaviors; includes exposure therapies and aversive conditioning

exposure therapy

behavioral techniques that treat anxieties by exposing people (in imagination or actuality) to the things they fear and avoid

systematic desensitization

a type of exposure therapy that associates a pleasant relaxed state with gradually increasing anxiety-triggering stimuli

virtual reality exposure therapy

an anxiety treatment that progressively exposes people to simulations of their greatest fears, such as airplane flying, spiders, or public speaking

aversive conditioning

a type of counterconditioning that associates an unpleasant state (such as nausea) with an unwanted behavior (such as drinking alcohol)

token economy

an operant conditioning procedure in which people earn a token of some sort for exhibiting a desired behavior and can later exchange the tokens for various privileges or treats

cognitive therapy

therapeutic techniques that act on a person's conscious mental process, by helping to create new ways of thinking and reacting

rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT)

a confrontational cognitive therapy, developed by Albert Ellis, that vigorously challenges people's illogical thinking and self-defeating attitudes

Beck's cognitive therapy

a relatively nonaggressive cognitive therapy, developed by Aaron Beck, that uses gentle questioning to help people realize the error in their thinking and reduce the negative bias that colors their thoughts and perceptions

cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

a popular integrative therapy that combines acts both on a person's behavior and their mental processes

cognitive triad

in Beck's cognitive therapy, the three forms of negative thinking that lead people to feel depressed; negative view of one's experiences, one's own self, and one's future

dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that specifically targets harmful or suicidal behavior patterns; starts by creating an accepting and encouraging environment, then exposes clients to stressors in a controlled situation to help them learn to cope with distress and regulate emotions in a healthy way

applied behavioral analysis (ABA)

a type of behavioral therapy that specifically targets social withdrawal and other eccentric behaviors; uses principles of operant conditioning to increase wanted behaviors and decrease unwanted behaviors

group therapy

therapy conducted with groups rather than individuals, permitting therapeutic benefits from group interaction

family therapy

therapy that treats the family as a system. Views an individual's unwanted behaviors as influenced by, or directed at, other family members