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A Multi-Dimensional Model for Conceptualizing the Design of Child Behavior Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Ian M. Evans
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, State University of New York Binghamton

Abstract

Four dimensions thought to be basic to all child behavior therapy are specified. These are: (a) manipulation of the consequences of inappropriate behavior; (b) short-term prevention by ecological change; (c) teaching more appropriate alternatives and (d) long-term prevention by remedying more fundamental behavioral deficits. It is proposed that all four dimensions are needed for the design of any clinical treatment. The model therefore illustrates how ostensibly opposing intervention strategies in behavior therapy are really complementary. Since children's clinical problems rarely occur as isolated behaviors, and since behavioral psychotherapy involves development of more adaptive skills that influence the target problems indirectly, the dimensional model allows cross-referencing of the interrelated target behaviors in the child-client's repertoire. This is illustrated by describing typical intervention designs for two children with behavior problems. By formally specifying the realities of clinical treatment design, the relevance of therapy outcome research to clinical practice should be enhanced.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1989

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