How to Use Behavior Modification

Behavior modification is simultaneously one of the most controversial mental illness treatments and one of the least understood. It is based on the behaviorism theory of psychology, which claims that everything humans do should be considered behavior, and therefore manipulable. To resolve problems like smoking, overeating, violence, alcoholism and drug abuse, behavior modification can be used in a tightly controlled atmosphere. Read on to learn more about how to use behavior modification.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine what behavior needs to be changed in the behavior. It could be as simple as eating too much or smoking cigarettes, or it could be far more complex like extreme anxiety or depression. In behaviorism, emotions are just as much a behavior as actions.

• 2

  Identify the reasons why the patient engages in the negative behavior. It could be stress-related or it could be intoxication (such as with alcoholism). The reasons could also stem toward defense mechanisms, such as a patient who overeats when she feels lonely or depressed.

• 3

  Introduce a negative stimulus whenever the patient engages in the negative behavior. Many unscrupulous psychologists have used pain as negative stimuli, even going so far as employing electrocution. For behavior modification to work, however, the negative stimulus can be as simple as doing twenty push-ups or cleaning the bathroom.

• 4

  Ensure that the negative stimulus is introduced immediately. Behavior modification has a greater success rate when the negative behavior is met immediately with a negative reaction. For example, a patient shouldn't have to do 20 push-ups three hours after smoking a cigarette. This is why a supervisor is usually required for this treatment program to work.

• 5

  Provide a positive stimulus when the patient avoids the negative behavior. For example, if he doesn't have a cigarette for an entire 24-hour period, he might be rewarded with an ice cream cone or a trip to the movies. This engenders a positive association with avoidance of the negative behavior while reinforcing a negative association with the behavior itself.

• 6

  Continue applying both positive and negative stimuli until the patient has reversed her behavior. This could take only a few days, or it could take weeks of therapy.