Premium
Clinical behavior therapy and the experimental analysis of behavior
Author(s) -
Plaud Joseph J.,
Plaud Deborah M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199811)54:7<905::aid-jclp5>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - psychology , psychotherapist , clinical psychology , behavior change , applied behavior analysis , developmental psychology , social psychology , autism
Advances in areas of behavior analysis are discussed to show the relevance of experimental science to behavior therapy. It is concluded that there are many areas of mutual interest between experimental operant psychologists and behavior therapists that may serve to enhance the clinical efficacy and range of behavior problems addressed by behavior therapists. Specific examination is given to areas of experimental behavior analysis such as reinforcement, including schedules of reinforcement; the matching law; advanced issues in stimulus control; the interaction between operant and classical conditioning; behavioral momentum; rule‐governed behavior; and stimulus equivalence. The argument that behavior therapists are not knowledgeable about behavior analysis is disputed, and it is concluded that behavior therapists are in a unique position to be the practice professionals best able to utilize the principles of learning and behavior analysis in the service of adaptive behavior change. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 54: 905–921, 1998.