Chapter 7 Covert Behavioral Methods for Changing Respondent Behavior

1. Chapter 7Covert Behavioral Methods for Changing Respondent Behavior

2. Relaxation • relaxation is a state of reduced physiological arousal • relaxation may make one more alert • relaxation requires some training

3. Relaxation Training • can be used independently to reduce fears and other anxiety-based disorders • can be used in conjunction with procedures like systematic desensitization • should follow a routine schedule • should be conducted in a comfortable setting • should be viewed as practice • should be faded

4. Relaxation Techniques: Progressive Muscle Relaxation • progressive muscle relaxation requires the individual to systematically tense and relax the major muscle groups of the body • first described by Jacobson (1938); subsequently revised • training may have long-term positive effects • training requires attention to feelings of tension and relaxation

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training • instruct the individual to sit in a comfortable position with eyes closed • identify a muscle group and instruct the individual to tense those muscles • instruct individual to attend to feelings associated with tension • instruct individual to relax those muscles

6. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training (continued) • instruct individual to attend to the relaxed feelings in those muscles • repeat for other muscle groups • instruct individual to attend to relaxing thoughts and feelings

7. Relaxation Techniques: Autogenic Training • autogenic training requires the individual to imagine relaxing situations and feelings • first defined by Shultz (1957) • relatively time-consuming (shorter versions may be as effective) • may be preferred over progressive relaxation when medical conditions preclude tensing muscles

8. Autogenic Training Procedures • encourage adoption of a relaxed attitude • instruct individual to focus on different parts of the body • attribute relaxing feelings to those parts using themes such as warmth • allow changes to evolve naturally • encourage individual to identify and focus on a personally calming scene

9. Relaxation Techniques: Mediation • meditation involves a focusing of attention or contemplation • meditation procedures may take various forms • training also may help focusing of thought • training also may serve to detach individual from emotion or pain

10. Meditation Procedures • encourage individual to focus attention • thoughts are often directed at a meditation stimulus • a simple visual pattern or object can be viewed in a nonanalytical way • an auditory mantra can be chanted • the process of breathing can serve as the focus • instruct individual gently to refocus when attention wanders

11. Relaxation Techniques: Rapid Relaxation Induction teach relaxation methods that allow for rapid relaxation as supplements to the standard techniques • may be a shortened version of a standard technique • does not replace standard techniques • does not induce as deep a state of relaxation as other techniques

12. Relaxation Techniques: Rapid Relaxation Induction (continued) • must be mastered • must be used in anticipation of stress or fear

13. Enhancing Rapid Relaxation • use verbal cues like "relax" or meditative mantras • paying attention to breathing • imagining calm scenes of settings where relaxed feelings have occurred

14. Covert Conditioning covert conditioning involves imagined associations that allow for learning without overt experience • attributed to Cautela (1966) • procedures may not be as effective as overt counterparts • procedures may be used when it is difficult or dangerous to use overt procedures

15. Covert Conditioning Procedures • covert sensitization creates an aversion through imagination • covert positive reinforcement overcomes phobias by associating fear with pleasant experiences • other covert procedures include: • imagined models • extinction • punishment • covert use of other behavioral treatments

16. Cognitive-Behavioral Coping Techniques • positive and negative self-statements are things we say about our perceived abilities and outcomes of our behavior • coping statements are things we say that characterize how well we think we will tolerate what we see as an unpleasant situation

17. Cognitive-Behavioral Coping Techniques (continued) • coping statement interventions train individuals to use positive statements • reinterpretative statements offer arguments why a situation may be less unpleasant • reinterpretative statements work only if they are believable

18. Thought Stopping • thought stopping procedures require the individual to interrupt or eliminate unwanted antecedent thoughts • typically, the word stop is asserted either overtly or covertly when the individual becomes aware of a targeted unwanted thought • thought stopping has been used with thoughts associated with loss and depression

19. Thought Stopping (continued) • thought stopping has been used with antecedents to unwanted habits • evidence on the effectiveness of thought stopping is equivocal

20. Distraction • distraction procedures encourage a shift in attention from an unpleasant stimulus to a pleasant or neutral stimulus • distraction works best with mild stress

21. Tips on Using Covert Behavioral Methods • prefer in vivo stimuli • avoid relaxation training that might cause discomfort • prescribe a schedule for relaxation training to minimize skipped sessions • use relaxation tapes when possible • prefer relaxation environments that are quiet and dimly lit

22. Tips on Using Covert Behavioral Methods (continued) • if your mind drifts from the relaxation task, simply refocus • use rapid relaxation only after mastering standard techniques • assess state of relaxation to determine how fast to progress through relaxation training

23. Tips on Using Covert Behavioral Methods (continued) • avoid relaxing scenes that are emotionally laden • seek clear visual scenes when using imaginal approaches • select reasonable and believable positive self-statements