Behavior therapy in practice: A national survey of behavior therapists

Abstract

A mail survey investigated the characteristics of behavior therapy as practiced. Information about a variety of demographic, professional, and strategy variables was collected. Questionnaires and follow-up prompts were sent to 840 randomly selected members and associate members of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy; the final sample (N=353) represented 24% of the organization's total nonstudent membership. Discrepancies between behavior therapy as represented in research and behavior therapy as reportedly practiced include: (1) likelihood of therapists to deal exclusively with presenting problems; (2) reported success rates for treated clients; (3) uses of standardized assessment procedures; and (4) the importance of relationship-enhancement methods. Implications are discussed with respect to their impact on behavior therapy as an applied science.