Relational Frame Theory provides behavior analysis with a comprehensive account of human language and cognition that extends the science beyond the three-term contingency to address the full complexity of verbal behavior. The Barnes-Holmes, Barnes-Holmes, McHugh, and Hayes (2004) article that anchors this CEU applies RFT directly to understanding and treating human psychopathology — a significant extension that positions behavior analysis as a science capable of addressing the full range of human psychological suffering, not merely the behavioral challenges most commonly addressed in ABA practice.
Provider: CEUniverse
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Join Free →Read the following article and pass an 8-question quiz on it: Barnes-Holmes, Y., Barnes-Holmes, D., McHugh, L., & Hayes, S. C. (2004). Relational frame theory: Some implications for understanding and treating human psychopathology.International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 4, 355-375. To earn credit, you will be required to read the article and pass an 8-question quiz about it. You can retake the quiz as many times as needed, but you will not receive exactly the same questions each time. In the current paper, we attempt to show how both the basic and applied sciences of behavior analysis have been transformed by the modern research agenda in human language and cognition, known as Relational Frame Theory (RFT). At the level of basic process, the paper argues that the burgeoning literature on derived stimulus relations calls for a reinterpretation of complex human behavior that extends beyond a purely contingency-based analysis. Specifically, the paper aims to show how a more complete account of complex human behavior includes an analysis of relational frames, relational networks, relating relations, rules, perspective-taking, and the concept of self. According to the theory, this analysis gives rise to a new interpretation of human psychopathology that necessarily transforms the applied science of behavior therapy. The current paper is divided into three parts. In Part 1, we provide a brief summary of the integrated history of behavioral psychology and behavior therapy, including their emphases on the principles of classical and operant conditioning as the basis for an account of human psychopathology. In Part 2, the core features of RFT are presented, including the three concepts of bidirectional stimulus relations, relating relations, and rule-governance that constitute critical components of the RFT approach to human psychopathology. The paper therein attempts to illustrate, with the use of clinically relevant examples, the ways in which these concepts can be used to understand psychopathology and psychotherapy. In Part 3, RFT interpretations of three central features of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), namely acceptance, defusion, and values are provided with a view to demonstrating the utility of basic RFT concepts in the treatment of human suffering. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB | 1.5 | General |
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.