| Abstract: Clinical behavior analysis has made great strides over the last ten years. It can be distinguished from the larger field of applied behavior analysis in at least three ways. First, it is generally used with verbally competent, free-ranging humans who voluntarily seek treatment for the kinds of problems addressed by mainstream psychotherapy, e.g., depression, anxiety, and interpersonal distress. Second, these clinical problems are not easily understood or explained in terms of basic behavior analytic concepts, such as the three-term contingency. They require a more complex analysis, often involving verbal processes including stimulus equivalence, transformation of function, and relational responding. Third, treatment interventions with these types of clients are typically verbal and do not involve direct manipulation of reinforcement contingencies. The purpose of this talk is to acquaint basic behavior analysts with recent developments in clinical behavior analysis, the basic research that has been most helpful in formulating treatment interventions, and some of the research issues that remain to be addressed. This session was designed to foster dialogue between clinical behavior analysis and the experimental analysis of behavior. In order to facilitate this interaction, Dr. Doughers paper will be followed by approximately fifteen minutes of discussion by Dr. Carol Pilgrim. |