Page 519 - Understanding Psychology

cognitive-behavior therapy: based on a combi- nation of substituting healthy thoughts for negative thoughts and beliefs and changing dis- ruptive behaviors in favor of healthy behaviors
1. Review the Vocabulary How does cognitive therapy differ from behavior therapy?
2. Visualize the Main Idea In a diagram similar to the one below, list and describe rational-emotive therapy techniques.
Rational-Emotive Therapy Techniques
3. Recall Information How does aversive conditioning work?
4. Think Critically Sheila was not picked to be a basketball captain in gym class. She thought the gym teacher didn’t pick her because Sheila is short. Sheila became angry with the teacher and acted rudely in gym class. Explain this scenario using what psychologist Albert Ellis calls the ABCs.
5. Application Activity
Pick something of which you are afraid. Construct a plan for using
systematic desensitization to help you overcome this fear.
possible to set up whole miniature systems of rewards, called token economies. For example, psychologists in some mental hospitals select behavior they judge desirable. Patients are then rewarded for these behav- iors with tokens. Thus if a patient cleans his room or works in the hospi- tal garden, he is rewarded with token money. The patients are able to cash in their token money for things they want, such as candy or ciga- rettes, or for certain privileges, such as time away from the ward. These methods are successful in inducing patients to begin leading active lives. They learn to take care of themselves and to take on responsibility instead of having to be cared for constantly.
COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR THERAPY
Many therapists combine aspects of cognitive and behavior therapies. Cognitive-behavior therapy focuses on setting goals for changing a client’s behavior and then, unlike other behavior therapies, placing more emphasis on changing the client’s interpretation of his or her situation. This type of therapy seeks to help clients differentiate between serious, real problems and imagined or distorted problems. A cognitive-behavior ther- apist might work with a client to change certain behaviors by monitoring current behaviors and thought patterns, setting progressively difficult goals, reinforcing positive changes, substituting positive thoughts for neg- ative thoughts, and practicing new behaviors in a safe setting. Many self- help programs use this approach. For example, you might begin a program of developing positive self-esteem by using these techniques. Cognitive- behavior therapies are becoming increasingly widespread and have proven effective for treating a wide range of problems.
Assessment
token economy: desirable behavior is reinforced with val- ueless objects or points, which can be accumulated and exchanged for various rewards
Chapter 17 / Therapy and Change 505