NCJ Number
12577
Date Published
1971
Length
97 pages
Annotation
THIS DOCUMENT, AIMED AT CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATOR,S PROGRAM PLANNERS AND PRACTITIONERS, IS A DISCUSSION OF THE PHILOSOPHY, TECHNIQUES AND METHODS PERTAINING TO BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
Abstract
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS DEFINED AS A PHILOSOPHY OF TREATMENT STRESSING SPECIFICITY, OBJECTIVITY, AND OPERATIONS ON OVERT BEHAVIOR, AND A COLLECTION OF TECHNIQUES FOR ACHIEVING THESE GOALS. THESE TECHNIQUES ARE DESCRIBED AND THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE PRESENTED. A LIST OF BASIC REFERENCE MATERIALS ON BEHAVIOR THERAPY IS INCLUDED. TWENTY-TWO RESEARCH STUDIES FROM JOURNAL ARTICLES HAVE BEEN ABSTRACTED AND ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TEXTUAL MATERIAL. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE REVEALS THAT BEHAVIOR THERAPY HAS BEEN APPLIED TO MANY NEUROTIC AND PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS AND HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH DISORDERS INVOLVING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS. CONDITIONING PROCEDURES WERE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WITH PHOBIC REACTION, ANXIETY REACTIONS, BED WETTING, STUTTERING AND TICS. ALTHOUGH A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM AND CERTAIN SEXUAL DISORDERS, IT WAS FOUND THAT BEHAVIOR THERAPIES ARE DISAPPOINTING AS A METHOD OF TREATMENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)