Behaviour Therapy: Benefits, Types & Techniques

Behaviour therapy is a broad term for types of therapy that help treat several mental health disorders and change self-destructive behaviors. In this article, we will understand what is behavioral therapy, the types of behavior therapy, the techniques used and its benefits.

What is behavioral therapy?

Behaviour therapy is a broad term for types of therapy that help treat several mental health disorders and change self-destructive behaviors. The aim of behavioral therapy is to eliminate self-destructive and unhealthy behaviors and reinforce desirable ones. Behavioral therapy is based on the idea that unwanted behaviors can be changed and desirable behaviors can be learned.

Types of behavioral therapy?

There are different types of behavior therapy. The type of therapy used can depend on the condition being treated, the severity of symptoms etc. Most common types of behavior therapy include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavior therapy applies behavioral techniques along with a cognitive element that focuses on problematic thoughts behind the behaviors.

• Cognitive behavioral play therapy

Cognitive behavioral play therapy makes use of play to analyse, prevent and/or treat psychosocial challenges. This type of behavioral therapy helps children learn through play how to think and behave differently.

• Applied behavior analysis

Applied behavior analysis applies operant conditioning to correct and modify problematic behaviors.

• Dialectical behavioral therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy is a type of CBT that uses both behavioral and cognitive techniques to help people manage their emotions, cope with stress and improve relationships.

• Rational emotive behavior therapy

Rational emotive behavior therapy relies on identifying destructive thoughts and feelings to help people challenge those thoughts and replace them with more realistic and rational ones.

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What is the main goal of behaviour therapy?

Behavior therapy aims to help a person understand how changing their behavior and attitude can help them change how they are feeling. The main goal of behavior therapy is to increase the person’s engagement in socially reinforcing and positive activities. This structured approach carefully analyses what the person is doing and how to increase their chances for positive experiences.

Benefits of behavioral therapy

Here are some of the most common benefits of behavioral therapy:

• Behavioral therapy is one of the most widely used and effective treatments for numerous conditions like depression, anxiety, panic disorders and anger issues.

• Additionally, behavioral therapy can also help manage conditions and disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use and self-harming behaviors.

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• Behavioral therapy can be beneficial for both adults and children. CBT is often considered the gold standard for treatment of several disorders. And cognitive behavior play therapy is highly-effective for children.

• Behavior therapy has also been found to assist people with coping strategies, communication, self-esteem and healthier thought patterns.

Some techniques used in behavioral therapy

In order to understand what is behavioral therapy and how it works, let us understand some of the techniques used in behavioral therapy.

• Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning relies on forming associations between stimuli. Stimuli that were previously neutral are paired with a stimulus that automatically evokes a response. After repeated pairings, the association is achieved and previously neutral stimuli will automatically evoke responses on their own.

• Aversion therapy

Aversion therapy focuses on pairing undesirable behavior with an aversive stimulus so that the unwanted behavior can eventually be reduced. For instance, a person with alcohol use disorder may be given Antabuse, a drug that causes severe symptoms like nausea and vomiting when combined with alcohol.

• Systematic desensitization

In this technique, the person makes a list of fears and learns to relax while focusing on these fears. The person systematically confronts these fears, starting with the least fear-inducing item and working their way up to the most fear-inducing item.

• Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning utilises reinforcement and punishment to increase or decrease a particular behavior’s frequency. Behaviors followed by negative consequences are less likely to repeat in the future and those followed by desirable consequences are more likely to occur in the future.

• Behavior modelling

Behavior modelling as the name sounds involves learning by observation and modelling the behavior of others. This technique encourages people to learn new skills and acceptable behavior by watching others perform those desired skills.

Closing Thoughts

If you or someone you know is struggling with a disorder or mental health condition, please reach out for help. Behaviour therapy can help assess your concerns and devise a specific treatment plan.