Adherence to a variety of conceptual frameworks in psychological treatment has resulted in technical and theoretical eclecticism. Therapy techniques have become reduced to a set of tactics in which the therapist juggles conceptual frameworks in an attempt to maximize constructive behavior change. The practitioner must conceptualize his therapeutic…

Previous research on differential responses to psychological procedure labels has shown that the general public makes no distinction between the labels behavior modification, behavior therapy, and behavior treatment, but shows a strong preference for the label counseling, compared to the labels behavior therapy and psychotherapy. To extend…

An experienced Gestalt therapist and educator discusses some neglected areas of this popular approach to personal growth. The theory behind Gestalt Therapy is also examined in detail. (Author)

When children experience serious problems with peer relationships there is increasing evidence that these children are at risk for a variety of adjustment problems later in life. This study utilized a variety of interventions to decrease negative behaviors in an active 4-year-old in a preschool setting referred by his teacher for noncompliant,…

Empirical research on behavioral marital therapy (BMT) was reviewed and it was concluded that BMT, with its emphasis on working on a strictly behavioral level with married couples, was an effective form of therapy. Six component analysis studies were then examined which showed a general trend in the studies indicating that strictly behavioral…

This guide, intended for college and university presidents and governing board members who are committed to the elimination of drug and alcohol abuse on their campuses, provides a description of the extent of alcohol and other drug use and abuse on campuses and recommends five intervention strategies for these institutions to use. The strategies…

This course is designed to help direct caregivers of people with severe disabilities to understand and participate in a positive approach to behavior management. Notes on implementation and content of each section are provided, as are sheets for overhead projection, worksheets, and handouts. The course is organized in 15 sections lasting a total…

Some behavior modification textbooks encourage students to apply behavioral modification techniques in their own lives. This descriptive study using undergraduate students examined the usefulness of giving students in behavior modification courses the assignment to apply behavior modification techniques in their own lives. Subjects (N=50) were…

Techniques of cognitive behavior modification such as cognitive restructuring have recently been employed in behavior therapy. Other procedures which fall within the approach of cognitive behavior therapy are techniques such as paradoxical intention which are subsumed under the title of logotherapy. Logotherapy refers to a form of psychotherapy or…

Until recently there has been little effort to train parents in specific positive skills of child-rearing. For most parents, parenting is the most difficult job experienced, with the least amount of preparation. This is especially true for high risk parents. A counseling intervention program was implemented for parents to learn improved…

In recent years, most disagreement about stuttering therapy has boiled down to a preference for one of two major approaches. Some clinicians have preferred to help stutterers learn not to avoid stuttering, but to approach it and to learn to stutter in simpler and easier ways; this approach is known as stuttering modification therapy. Proponents of…

Understanding the dynamics of premature termination from treatment would be useful for practitioners working with clients requiring prolonged treatment. Compliance in weight management was examined in three studies in order to explore the broader issue of compliance. In study 1, a standard 10-week cognitive behavioral weight management program was…

This paper presents a dynamic perspective of some of the major issues surrounding the eating disorder of bulimia. The focus is specifically on the relationship of the bulimia nervosa syndrome to the historical dynamics of the developmental process of the individual. Three major aspects of bulimia are discussed. First, there is a discussion of…

It has been estimated that 85% of all women seeking therapy are adults molested as children (AMACs). Group counseling with AMACs is recommended, with groups having homogeneity in terms of presenting problems and heterogeneity in group members' ability to deal with their sexual abuse. Groups should be closed, meet once or twice a week for 2-hour…

Comparison was made between the effectiveness of three relaxation training procedures: (1) Behavioral Relaxation Training, which consisted of training in relaxing specific parts of the body and controlling breathing; (2) Meditation (based on Benson's procedure for eliciting the relaxation response); and (3) Seashore Sounds "Attention Focusing,"…