Psychological approaches used to treat abnormal behaviors are:
Behavior therapy:
The therapist who provides uses this treatment process is known as behavior therapist. The behavior therapist considers ‘learning’ to be the reason for abnormal behavior. He/she considers that ‘abnormal behavior’ is acquired in the same manner as ‘normal behavior’.
The therapist does not go much in to the past details of the patient. He/she simply notices and makes a list of the abnormal behaviors of the client. Then, on the basis of observation, the therapist looks for methods via which the reciprocal of the learning process can be done; i.e. the patient is made to unlearn the maladaptive behavior.
This therapeutic approach gives results in very short period of time.
Exposure therapy:
Let us take the example of anxiety. Every behavior is an outcome of learned behavior. This means that anxiety is also learned. Exposure therapy is a therapeutic process in which exposure to that particular stimulus which causes anxiety to the patient is given again and again. Care is taken that the stimulus is given in a therapeutic manner. This means that treatment should be given slowly, step-by-step in a controlled manner, initially. Later on, the stimulus is given in extreme manner. During the latter situation, the patient confronts the feared stimulus at full strength.
Aversion therapy:
This therapy involves punishment, in response to an abnormal behavior. Suppose a patient is taking therapy to get rid of alcohol abuse. Then this patient is given a drug named as ‘Antabuse’. This drug induces nausea and vomiting in the patient if he takes alcohol. So, Aversion therapy is a type of punishment process to get rid of a particular condition.
In past, painful shocks were given to patients to reduce undesirable behaviors.
Modeling:
This treatment process is generally used in children. In this, the client starts imitating another person’s action (therapist, parent, close relative etc.) when the action is performed in front of them. Suppose a child fears spiders a lot. Then a trained person imitates the action of playing with spider or standing in front of the spider. Slowly, the child will start imitating the person who is performing this action; and will get rid of spider phobia.
Response shaping:
In this method, response or reward is given to the client, if he/she performs a particular action. Suppose a child refuses to speak in public always. This means that he is having phobia of public speaking. In response shaping, the child is given a
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
This method restructures the client’s individual beliefs by the method of self- evaluation. For e.g. a client always wants to be loved and liked by others. Then the therapist can perform treatment at various instances by asking question like: ‘Why should you be loved for this task?’ ‘Why should you get so much importance?’ etc. This type of questionnaire evolves self-assessment in the client. He/she starts thinking over the matter, and gradually learns the new habit.