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Chapter 8

Behavioral Counseling

When all else fails, I become a behaviorist.

Howard Gardner

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Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:        •Outline the development of behavioral theory

•Explain the theory of behavioral counseling

•Discuss the counseling relationship and goals in behavioral counseling

•Describe assessment, process, and techniques

•Demonstrate some therapeutic techniques

•Clarify the effectiveness of behavioral counseling

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B.F. Skinner

Academic background: • studied literature at Hamilton College

(considered himself a failure)

• entered Harvard to study psychology

• master’s in 1930 and PhD in experimental psychology in 1931

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B.F. Skinner

• Professor at Harvard from 1948 until his death

• Contributed in the laboratory and in solving educational problems

• He developed and advanced concepts of programmed instruction, operant condition, and the teaching machine (first developed by Pressey 1923)

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B.F. Skinner

He summed his work by saying that the point he tried to make is that it can be demonstrated that people choose behavior based on anticipated consequences.

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Nature of People

• People are essentially born neutral with equal potential for good or evil and for rationality or irrationality

• Behaviorists view people as responders and products of conditioning

• Things that happen to children influence and change them as biological beings

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Nature of People

Stimulus-response paradigm: • people react in predictable ways to any

given stimulus according to what they have learned through experience

• Behavior is learned and can be unlearned

• Behavioral counselor concerned with this unlearning or re-education process.

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Theory of Counseling

• Action therapy

• Clients do something, rather than just talking about behavior

• Clients learn to monitor their behavior, practice coping skills, and complete counseling homework to help reach their goals.

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Theory of Counseling

Positive stimuliPraiseTangible rewards

Positive reinforcement

Extinction

Negative stimuliCriticismUnpleasant consequences and tasks

PunishmentNegative

reinforcement

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Definitions

• Operant behavior – behavior that operates on and changes the environment

• Positive reinforcement – a rewarding reinforcement

• Negative reinforcement – reinforcing by stopping an aversive stimulus

• Punishment – a negative stimuli decreasing behavior

• Extinction – process of eliminating a behavior by ignoring it or withholding reward.

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Counseling

In short, help clients determine ways to modify problems in living.

• Focus is on the present and the future. 

• Complaints translated into goals of behavioral changes

• Behavior is broken into its parts

• Treatment tailored to the problem of this individual.

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Behavior Analysis

A - Antecedent (stimulus)

B - Behavior (what is said or done)

C - Consequence (result of behavior)

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Behavior Analysis

1. Identify problem category• Performing a task or dealing with people

2. Identify problem type• Being unable or being unwilling

3. Determine cause of problem• Lack of knowledge, obstacle or refusal

4. Select appropriate solution

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Schedules of Reinforcement

Continuous reinforcement

• Reinforce each successful response

• Best when first learning a new behavior

• Switch to one of four intermittent schedules

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Schedules of Reinforcement

• Fixed ratio scheduleo Reinforcement rate is fixed at the same rate

o Piecework in a factory an example

• Variable ratio scheduleo Schedule of reinforcement varies

o Playing slot machines an example

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Schedules of Reinforcement

• Fixed interval o reinforce after first response and fixed time

elapsed

• Variable intervalo reinforce after first response after an average

time period

o example: pop quiz

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Counseling Goals

• Ultimate goal is to teach clients to be own counselors by changing their behavior to better meet their needs

• After the problem has been identified and change agreed on, variety of procedures help client acquire the behaviors necessary to solve the problem

• Goal = overt change

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Counseling Methods

• Match reinforcement to development and reward preference

• Set up a contract with child

• Contract language must be simplified for understanding and the goals should be clear with few steps

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Counseling Methods

Contingency Contract

1. Counselor and client identify problem

2. Counselor collects baseline data

3. Counselor and client set mutually acceptable goals

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Counseling Methods

Contingency Contract

4. Counselor develops plan for target behavior and reinforcement

5. Counselor evaluates plan for changes in behavior

6. If plan is not effective, repeat #4

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Counseling Methods

Self-Management

• Take responsibility for own behavior

• Follow step-by-step process: define problem, collect data, introduce treatment, evaluate effectiveness, change program if not working

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Counseling Methods

Shaping

• Induce new behaviors by reinforcing behaviors that are approximations of the desired behavior

• Counselor looks for desired behavior, waits until it occurs, and reinforces it when it does occur

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Counseling Methods

Behavioral Momentum

• Make easy requests with high compliance possibility

• Work up to more difficult, low-compliance tasks

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Counseling Methods

Biofeedback• A machine reads body temperature,

brain waves, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

• Machine: looks-waits-reinforces

• Small changes in behavior (like tension decrease) can be fed back to the client by auditory and visual means

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Counseling Methods

Modeling

• Expose client to individuals exhibiting the target behavior

• Teaching children voluntary behaviors through observation and replication of desired behaviors

• Modeling and shaping could be done in combination for younger children

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Counseling Methods

Token Economy

• Used on a group basis, as in a classroom

• Children earn points for target behaviors that are on task or socially appropriate

• Children lose points for inappropriate behavior

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Counseling Methods

Behavior-Practice Groups

• Groups provide a safe setting to practice new behavior before trying it out in reality

• Groups also useful in supporting and reinforcing children as they attempt new behaviors and reach goals

• Three teaching strategies: 1. tell me2. show me3. let me try

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Counseling Methods

• Role-playing

• Assertiveness Training• encourage to recognize own rights and those

of other individuals

• Homework Assignments

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Classical Conditioning Methods

1. Neutral stimulus is paired with another stimulus

2. After repeated pairing of stimuli

3. Then neutral stimulus elicits same response as other stimulus

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Classical Conditioning Methods

Systematic Desensitization

• A response incompatible with anxiety and/or fear is paired with weak and then progressively stronger anxiety-provoking stimuli

• Reciprocal inhibition – an organism cannot make two contradictory responses at the same time

• Based on counter-conditioning

• Relaxation exercises may be a part of this method

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Classical Conditioning Methods

Flooding (reactive or internal inhibition)

• Opposite of desensitization

• Begin with most feared stimulus and work down towards weakest (least feared)

• Constant, concentrated approach has the effect of wearing out the stimulus

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Classical Conditioning Methods

• Hypnosis• deeper forms of relaxation• use with caution and only after appropriate training

• Counter conditioning• stronger, pleasant stimulus is paired with weaker,

aversive stimulus to overcome aversive stimulus

• Aversive Conditioning• application of noxious stimulus in response to

maladaptive behaviors