Theories of behavior therapy

About this book

Theories of Behavior Therapy covers the spectrum of major theories relevant to contemporary behavior therapy, with contributions from the leading proponents of the theories described. Among the behavioral theories that this book explores are moral regulation, traumatic memory, learned alarms, bioinformation, self-control, coercion, information processing, and relapse prevention - as well as evolutionary, feminist, and Marxist perspectives. It examines hypothesis-based interventions for clinical decision making, functional analytic psychotherapy, and interbehavioral psychology. For each theory, a recognized expert in the field offers a thorough description - including underlying assumptions, scope and structure, and specific assertions - and highlights important features. O'Donohue and Krasner set the stage with an overview of what theory is in general and what role it plays in science, discussing influential figures from Skinner to Laudan. They present a brief history of behavior therapy and its theoretical foundations, evaluate each of the theories presented, and conclude with directions for further research.