Behavior therapy, along with psychoanalysis, refers to another large group of therapeutic options in the field of psychotherapy. It developed from concepts in learning theory in about the 1940s, but has no specific founder.
What is behavior therapy?
Behavior therapy, along with psychoanalysis, refers to another large group of therapy options in the field of psychotherapy. Unlike other therapy models, the behavioral therapy concept is strongly based on research findings from medical, psychological, biological, and sociological fields. Research from the field of learning theory is important. Using three different approaches, behavior therapy attempts to change mental disorders as well as behavioral disorders through specific techniques. It assumes that every behavior is learned and can therefore be unlearned or replaced by new behavior patterns. Three model approaches are used:
Counter-conditioning/confrontation, operant conditioning and the cognitive approach. By means of a problem- and goal-oriented approach, behavioral therapy attempts to bring about a change in behavior that fits the personality and can thus be sustained over the long term. Pathological and disturbed behavior patterns are successfully cured in this way.
Function, effect and goals
Since behavior therapy does not have a clearly defined procedure, it offers various models and techniques and is thus suitable for a variety of behavioral and psychological disorders. However, it is of particular importance for the following clinical pictures: Anxiety and panic disorders, eating disorders, depression, substance abuse and psychosomatic illnesses. All disorders are based on a disturbed behavioral pattern. At the beginning of the therapy a behavioral analysis takes place. In the course of this analysis, the disorders are identified and goals are set. The course of therapy usually takes place in phases and the patient must actively cooperate and thus assume personal responsibility. The goal of therapy is either to give up or change an undesirable behavior, or to build up a desired behavior, such as self-confidence. Several goals can also be worked on in parallel. These goals can be achieved through different approaches. The decisive factor here is the personality of the patient, because human behavior is understood as a system that functions and communicates on different levels: cognitive, physiological, emotional and behavioral. There are constant interrelations and interactions, overlaps and tensions between these levels, which is why one level cannot be considered in isolation. A change in behavior always causes a reaction and change in the other levels. For this reason, the patient’s self-control is an essential part of therapy. He learns to control and direct himself and his behavior and to deepen it through constant training in such a way that it becomes an independent behavior and the old, undesirable behavior is overridden or replaced. This type of behavior modification can be done gradually over a period of time or through direct confrontation, a method often used for anxiety disorders. Which approach is chosen depends on the patient’s personality and condition and is always worked out together with the patient. In this way, possible excessive demands can be avoided. In addition to conventional methods, behavioral therapy also makes use of techniques from the fields of relaxation, hypnosis and role-playing. The range of possibilities makes it individually applicable.
Risks and dangers
Behavioral therapy is, of course, no guarantee of successful recovery. Because it is a brief therapeutic approach, it is not suitable for profound and severe mental disorders, such as those that often occur after prolonged and severe trauma. It also requires a certain psychological stability and active cooperation on the part of the patient, which in the case of severely schizoid patients is only possible with medication. Behavioral therapy is unsuitable for disorders that require extensive and intensive reappraisal of past events. It may become important at a later stage, but it does not serve the purpose of reappraisal.If behavioral therapy begins too early here and trauma is not sufficiently processed, serious setbacks can occur later. In these cases, the learning success achieved through behavioral therapy is usually invalidated. In some patient groups, therapy only becomes possible through medication, such as in cases of severe depression. It is important to ensure that the behavioral changes can be sustained even when the medication is discontinued. It is important to weigh carefully whether behavioral therapy can contribute to successful healing or whether another form is better suited to the personality and the disorder.
