Chapter 16: Therapy and Treatment

counterconditioning

classical conditioning therapeutic technique in which a client learns a new response to a stimulus that has previously elicited an undesirable behavior

token economy

controlled setting where individuals are reinforced for desirable behaviors with tokens (e.g., poker chip) that be exchanged for items or privileges (operant)

exposure therapy

counterconditioning technique in which a therapist seeks to treat a client's fear or anxiety by presenting the feared object or situation with the idea that the person will eventually get used to it

aversive conditioning

counterconditioning technique that pairs an unpleasant stimulant with an undesirable behavior

systematic desensitization

form of exposure therapy used to treat phobias and anxiety disorders by exposing a person to the feared object or situation through a stimulus hierarchy

unconditional positive regard

fundamental acceptance of a person regardless of what they say or do; term associated with humanistic psychology

Rogerian (client-centered therapy)

non-directive form of humanistic psychotherapy developed by Carl Rogers that emphasizes unconditional positive regard and self-acceptance

transference

process in psychoanalysis in which the patient transfers all of the positive or negative emotions associated with the patient's other relationships to the psychoanalyst

psychotherapy

psychological treatment that employs various methods to help someone overcome personal problems, or to attain personal growth

family therapy

special form of group therapy consisting of one or more families

dream analysis

technique in psychoanalysis in which patients recall their dreams and the psychoanalyst interprets them to reveal unconscious desires or struggles

free association

technique in psychoanalysis in which the patient says whatever comes to mind at the moment

nondirective therapy

therapeutic approach in which the therapist does not give advice or provide interpretations but helps the person identify conflicts and understand feelings

psychoanalysis

therapeutic orientation developed by Sigmund Freud that employs free association, dream analysis, and transference to uncover repressed feelings

behavior therapy

therapeutic orientation that employs principles of learning to help clients change undesirable behaviors

cultural competence

therapist's understanding and attention to issues of race, culture, and ethnicity in providing treatment

group therapy

treatment modality in which 5-10 people with the same issue or concern meet together with a trained clinician

biomedical therapy

treatment that involves medication and/or medical procedures to treat psychological disorders

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

type of biomedical therapy that involves using an electrical current to induce seizures in a person to help alleviate the effects of severe depression

virtual reality exposure therapy

uses a simulation rather than the actual feared object or situation to help people conquer their fears