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Discuss method of treatment used in behaviour therapies.

Answer:

Ans.     In behavioural therapies, behavioural analysis is conducted to find the following aspects:

Malfunctioning behaviour refers to those behaviours which cause distress to the client.

Antecedent factors refers to the causes which predispose the person to indulge in that behaviour.

Maintaining factors refer to those factors which lead to the persistence of the faulty behaviour.

Example: An example would be a young person who has acquired the malfunctioning behaviour of smoking and seeks help to get rid of smoking.

Behavioural analysis conducted by interviewing the client and the family members reveals that the person started smoking when he was preparing for the annual examination.

He had reported relief from anxiety upon smoking. Thus, anxiety-provoking situation becomes the causative or antecedent factor. The feeling of relief becomes the maintaining factor for him to continue smoking.

Once the faulty behaviours, which cause distress, have been identified a treatment package is chosen.

The aim of treatment is to eliminate the faulty behaviours and substitute them with adaptive behaviour patterns.

Behaviour therapist does this through the following operations:

Antecedent Operations: This controls behaviour by changing something that causes distress.

Establishing Operations: This refers to the change which can be achieved by increasing or decreasing the reinforcing value of a particular consequence.

Consequent Operation: It is praising the student by the teacher in the classroom when he performed better in academics and otherwise.

Example: The young man was provided professional help to prepare his examination.

This help was not always available. He was counselled to make best use of his potential to attain the required goal. At the time of frustration, the help was again provided.

Gradually the student started using adaptive ways of goal management. Now the therapist, teacher and parents admired him. Everybody around was praising him for his positive efforts.

In this case antecedent operation is the professional help to cope up the scholastic demands, establishing co-operation is encouraging to confront with the problem himself and providing help at the time of frustration and consequent of operation is praising him for his positive efforts for goal attainment.