Behavior therapy Behavior therapy Behavior therapy, often used interchangeably with behavior modification, is a form of psychological treatment based on learning theory. Behavioral therapists believe that maladaptive behavior and thinking is learned or conditioned and, therefore, can be unlearned. New, more constructive behavior can then be taught or shaped.
Little attention is paid to intrapsychic or unconscious forces.
Instead, behavior therapy focuses directly on overt behavior. It has been found to be particularly effective in the treatment of anxiety and fear, using techniques such as relaxation training, desensitization, and assertiveness training. To increase the probability of success, behavioral therapists also attempt to remove the reinforcing consequences of maladaptive behavior as well as to reward appropriate behavior.