Abnormal Psychology

122 CHAPTER 4

Unconditional Positive Regard

The therapist also conveys unconditional positive regard for the client, expressing

positive feelings for the client, regardless of the client’s expressed thoughts, emo-

tions, and behaviors. The therapist can honestly do so by continually showing that

the client is inherently worthy as a human being, distinguishing between the client

as a person and the particular thoughts, feelings, and actions of the client (about

which the therapist may not necessarily have a positive opinion).

According to proponents of client-centered therapy, when clients experience

genuine empathy and unconditional positive regard from the therapist, they come

to accept themselves as they are, which decreases the incongruence between real and

ideal selves.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Behaviorism and cognitive psychology each led to explanations for how psychopa-

thology can arise (see Chapter 2); in turn, each of these approaches gave rise to its

own form of therapy. Behavior therapy rests on two ideas: (1) Maladaptive behav-

iors, cognitions, and emotions stem from previous learning, and (2) new learning

can allow patients to develop more adaptive behaviors, cognitions, and emotions. In

contrast,cognitive therapy rests on these ideas: (1) Mental contents—in particular,

conscious thoughts—influence a person’s feelings and behavior; (2) irrational

thoughts and incorrect beliefs contribute to mood and behavior problems; and,

(3) correcting such thoughts and beliefs leads to more rational thoughts and accu-

rate beliefs and therefore will lead to better mood and more adaptive behavior.

Although these two forms of therapy began separately, their approaches are

complementary and are frequently combined; when methods from cognitive and be-

havior therapy are implemented in the same treatment, it is called cognitive-behavior

therapy (CBT). Let’s look fi rst at the unique elements of each type of therapy and

then consider cognitive-behavior therapy.

The Goals of Behavior Therapy

Founded by Joseph Wolpe (1915–1997) behavior therapy is based on well- researched

principles of learning (see Chapter 2). Behavior therapy stresses changing behavior

rather than identifying unconscious motivations or root causes of problems (Wolpe,

1997). Behavior therapy has appealed to psychologists in part because of the ease in

determining whether the treatment is effective: The patient’s maladaptive behavior

either changes or it doesn’t.

In some cases, a behavior itself may not be immediately maladaptive, but it

may be followed by unwanted consequences at a later point in time. For instance,

Leon may not necessarily view avoiding social interactions as a problem, but he

may worry about losing his job—a consequence—if he doesn’t adequately su-

pervise his employees because of his social anxiety. The ultimate goal is for the

patient to replace problematic behaviors with more adaptive ones; the patient ac-

quires new behaviors through classical and operant conditioning (and, to a lesser

extent, modeling).

Methods of Behavior Therapy

The therapist, consulting with the patient, directs new learning; together they may

focus on the ABCs of an unwanted behavior pattern:

the• antecedents of the behavior (the stimuli that trigger the behavior),

the• behavior itself, and

the• consequences of the behavior (which may reinforce the behavior).

In Leon’s case, a behavioral therapist might focus on the ABCs of his social

phobia: The behavior is Leon’s avoidance of social interactions. The antecedents

might include his (irrational) thoughts about what will happen if he goes into a

social situation (“They will laugh at me, and I will feel humiliated”), which in turn

Behavior therapy
The form of treatment that rests on the ideas
that (1) maladaptive behaviors, cognitions,
and emotions stem from previous learning and
(2) new learning can allow patients to develop
more adaptive behaviors, cognitions, and
emotions.

Cognitive therapy
The form of treatment that rests on the
ideas that (1) mental contents infl uence
feelings and behavior; (2) irrational thoughts
and incorrect beliefs lead to psychological
problems; and, (3) correcting such thoughts
and beliefs will therefore lead to better mood
and more adaptive behavior.

Cognitive-behavior therapy
The form of treatment that combines methods
from cognitive and behavior therapies.