Development
of the Behavioural Schools of counselling
At
the end of the 19th century, Ivan Pavlov, physiologist, was
working on research into the digestive system of dogs Pavlov noticed that the
sight of an assistant bringing in food was sufficient to cause the dogs to
salivate, and reasoned that the dogs must have learned to associate the
assistant with the food, therefore, to the dog, seeing the assistant meant food
would follow.
This
led to the study of what is now known as Classical Conditioning.
Pavlov’s
findings were first tested on humans by Watson and Rayner in the study of
“Little Albert” 1922, in which a child was taught to fear a number of
stimuli, i.e., a rat, rabbit, a dog which had previously evoked fear.
The
method of teaching the child was to pair the previously unfeared stimuli (A rat), with a previously feared stimuli
(a noise), produced by striking a steel
bar with a hammer. (That was 1922. It would not be allowed today). (I hope)
The
fear produced by the noise was then transferred to the presentation of the rat.
Formerly
RAT produces no FEAR
NOISE
produced FEAR
NOISE
is paired with RAT produces FEAR
Later
RAT alone produces FEAR
This
is known as Classical Conditioning.
From this it was accepted by behaviourists that maladaptive or adaptive behaviour, is acquired by the same principles of Classical Conditioning.
The
Behaviourist Eysenck (1960) states, “If you get rid of the symptoms you
have eliminated the neurosis.
Prior to the work done by Pavlov, the way of looking at psychological difficulties was a psychoanalytical approach, in which the discovery of the cause was essential to bring about any change in a problem.
The
behaviourist views the symptoms (maladaptive or adaptive behaviour) as
the problem. This method of removing the symptoms are many and varied, examples
of these are:
In
1955,G A Kelly (Personal Construct Therapy) believed the individual has
developed predictions about how the world “works” and that these predictions
are either confirmed of refuted, if their predictions were refuted most of the
time, then the individual is seen to have a problem.
The
aim of Kelly’s therapy is to change the way the client views the world.
In
1958,J
Wolpe, (Systematic
Desensitisation),
using systematic desensitisation, based on the principal that one cannot
experience 2 opposite emotions at the same time, i.e., anxiety and relaxation,
if the client is taught to respond to feared stimuli with the response of
relaxation.
Then
the problem is cured. The opposite of this being aversion therapy.
In
1962, A Ellis
(Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy)
stated that it is irrational thoughts that are the cause of all types of
emotional distress and behaviour disorders, and that the aim of therapy is to
replace individual beliefs with rational beliefs.
This
type of therapy could be summed up with “always look on the bright side of
life”.
Since then their have been numerous developments but this information is intended to give you a flavour of the type of techniques used
Behaviour
therapy is seen as a short-term therapy that deals with the symptom (The symptom
being maladaptive behaviour) and the aim of therapy is to change the behaviour
in order that an individual may live life, as they would wish.
This
type of therapy is very directive and the client carrying out the therapist
directions totally brings about the new behaviour.
The
Cognitive Behavioural therapist has combined two theories
1/ There is (maladaptive
or adaptive Thinking (Cognition) The persons beliefs. expectations.
2/ There is maladaptive or adaptive Behaviour (Behaviour) brought about by learning.
The
Cognitive Behavioural views the symptoms (maladaptive or
adaptive Thinking or behaviour) as the problem. This method of removing the
symptoms are many and varied, examples of these are:
An
example of the type of difficulty the behaviourist would deal with would be a
fear of spiders (arachnophobia).
Step
1
The
therapist would assess the extent of the difficulty at
interview, whereby the client would explain the problem and effect i.e., even
the thought of a spider being in the room makes me anxious.
I sweat, my heart beats faster, I feel as if I’m going to faint and I
want to run away.
Step
2
The
therapist decides what needs to be done
i.e., Systematic desensitisation, where the client will be exposed to pictures
of spiders, at the same time carrying out relaxation techniques taught by the
therapist. The exposure would be
stepped up to the presentation of a replica spider, until finally the client was
holding a live spider in the palm of their hand.
The
client is taught by the therapist to associate the sight/thought of a spider
with the feeling of relaxation.
The
feeling of relaxation being a conditioned response to the unconditioned stimulus
(The spider).
This
type of therapy is beneficial when dealing with, for example,
institutionalisation or phobic situations whereby the individual can be
instructed to act in a specific way and would be of little use in dealing with
crisis or emotional situations, or with situations of physical or emotional
abuse.
Although it is acknowledged that the therapist directs this type of therapy, it is essential that therapy be tailored to the clients needs and at what stage it is required.
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