Behaviour therapy with children: basic terms and concepts

Abstract

Behaviour therapy is a collection of methods, derived from basic psychological principles, which have been developed primarily to treat psychological problems. Originally it was supposed that learning theory would be the basic science from which an applied science of behaviour therapy would derive but the situation has become more complex, particularly with the incorporation of cognitive aspects. There are three key elements which distinguish behaviour therapy: functional analysis; measurement of behaviour; and an applied science approach. There is no reliance on a complicated theory of the unconscious mind though it is certainly assumed that the child has a mind and that personal relationships are significant. Nor does it reduce children to a bundle of reflexes; their thoughts, feelings and aspirations are accorded importance and respect. The term ‘behaviour therapy’ might more accurately be replaced by ‘behavioural principles’ since behavioural assessments and behavioural treatment are inseparable. ‘Behavioural psychotherapy’ is sometimes used to refer mainly to the treatment of emotional or neurotic disorders, and ‘behaviour modification’ to describe methods of changing and building behaviours. In practice, the terms are used with considerable overlap and there are essential features common to all. In recent years, ‘cognitivebehavioural therapy’ has employed ways of helping children change their thoughts and assumptions about the world, themselves and their responses when treating some psychological problems. The umbrella term ‘behaviour therapy’ is used here to cover all these aspects. Behaviour therapy has three main applications in children’s medicine: