Narrative: Its Importance in Modern Behavior Analysis and Therapy

Abstract

The focus on, and study of, narrative in behavior analysis has been extremely limited (but see Hineline in press, and Roche & Barnes-Holmes 2003, for notable exceptions). Narrative is, of course, important in all of the ways that Hineline, for example, outlined. In the current article, we focus on one way in which narrative serves an intensely pragmatic concern, that of understanding and treating human psychological suffering in the wider context of modern behavior therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in particular. It is important

There is no such thing as a bad boy: The Circumstances View of problem behavior

“…For example, behavior analysts discovered escape extinction, but the research on this topic is small compared with the breadth and extent of related research in mainstream psychology. The mainstream repackaging of escape extinction (i.e., exposure and response prevention) has been the subject of countless clinical trials and is one of the most empirically supported of all psychological treatments (e.g., Abramowitz, 1996;Barlow, 2002), but these investigators characterize exposure and response prevention as cognitive behavior therapy rather than as an extinction-based strategy exemplifying the Circumstances View.…”

“…As a first step, behavior analysts could tell stories that reflect the Circumstantial View. The subject of narrative is just beginning to generate interest in the behavior analytic community with the apparent recognition that storytelling is one of the most time-honored and tested ways humans communicate (Barnes-Holmes et al, 2018;Hineline, 2018). Great storytellers use a variety of rhetorical strategies to recruit avid listening and guidelines for how to use them are abundant-just none written for or by behavior analysis (e.g., Biesenbach, 2018).…”

Como a Teoria das Molduras Relacionais (RFT) Transforma a Clínica Comportamental – Estratégias Recentes para Aplicação

“…Os teóricos da Teoria das Molduras Relacionais (do inglês Relational Frame Theory; RFT) compreendem que uma relação produtiva entre áreas aplicadas e básicas requer um interesse compartilhado em questões específicas. Assim, de acordo com Barnes-Holmes, Y., Barnes-Holmes, D., & McEnteggart (2018), é esperado que os psicoterapeutas se interessem pelo impacto da linguagem humana, já que muito do que eles fazem é interagir verbalmente com os clientes, e o próprio material das narrativas é grande parte da amostra passível de análise (Barnes-Holmes, Y., Barnes-Holmes, D., & McEnteggart, (2018). Por outro lado, é interesse dos pesquisadores básicos conhecer a natureza e impacto do comportamento verbal.…”