Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) was created in the late eighties by Kohlenberg and Tsai as an attempt to explain, in behavioral-analytic terms, the therapeutic interaction as an instrument to promote behavioral changes. Currently, this kind of psychotherapy is obtaining empirical validation and is emerging as an effective psychotherapy for difficult clinical cases, which are usually those with some kind of difficulty in interpersonal relationships. However, there are just a few researches that show the variables of the therapeutic process, that is, variables of the client and therapist who favor and/or hinder the progress of therapy and the processes and procedures responsible for behavioral change. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the introduction and withdrawal of FAP interventions on the following categories created from the researcher's clinical observations of some behaviors in session (clinically relevant behaviors, CRBs) that were affecting the progress of psychotherapy with difficult clients: 1) verbose talking, 2) talking with no correspondence with the therapist speech, 3) superficial speech and 4) aggressive verbal responses. Two participants with interpersonal relationship problems were selected and were in therapy with the researcher so the baseline was a well consolidated psychotherapy process, which allowed the control of some variables (therapeutic relationship established and low probability of discontinuing therapy). The sessions were video recorded and the measuring instruments were: a) multidimensional system for coding behaviors in therapist-client interaction, b) Functional Analytic Psychotherapy rating scale-FAPRS. The single-case experimental design was the following: A-B1-B2-C1-C2 (A= the therapy without planned interventions; B1 and B2-introduction of FAP and, C1 and C2-FAP withdrawal). The 40 therapy sessions, 20 for each client, were transcribed and coded. The results indicated that the clients' categories with higher percentage of occurrence were Reports, Establishment of relation between events, and Opposition. The therapist's were Empathy, Facilitation and Request report. With the manipulation of the independent variable (FAP), the experimental design showed that the percentage of occurrence of behaviors that affect the progress of therapy (CRBs1) decreased in the phases of FAP and the inverse occurred when FAP was withdrawn. The behaviors that helped the progress of therapy (CRBs2) and clients' analyses (CRBs3) showed the opposite trend, i.e. increased the percentage of occurrence in the phases of FAP and decreased in phases of FAP withdrawal. This experimental design proved to be useful for the research in psychotherapy and the results confirm that the main mechanism of change involved in FAP is the direct shaping of CRBs occurring in session, within the context of the therapeutic relationship.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a contextual-behavioral approach to psychotherapy and other behavioral health concerns that has progressively attracted attention from both researchers and clinicians. ACT's psychological flexibility model relies on middle-level terms that, despite being less precise than behavioral principles, are seen as being valuable for teaching and practicing ACT. One such term is cognitive defusion, which refers to the reduction of stimulus function transformation that occurs through verbal relations. In other words, defusion aims to minimize the influence of verbal relations, such as thoughts, on behavior, when doing so leads to adaptive behavior and valued living. Recently, some authors have stressed the importance of functionally defining middle-level terms, establishing clear links between the concept and basic behavioral processes. This article begins this endeavor by analyzing these links with respect to cognitive defusion. First, we briefly contextualize ACT's theoretical roots. Second, we present cognitive defusion as a therapeutic intervention, reviewing its objectives, procedures, outcomes, and hypothesized processes as stated in the relevant literature. Third, the outlined process of change is critically examined, leading to a new conceptualization of cognitive defusion. Finally, the conceptual, clinical, and research implications of this new conceptualization are considered.Keywords acceptance and commitment therapy . cognitive defusion . process of change . middle-level terms . relational frame theory * Daniel A.
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is emerging as an effective psychotherapy for psychiatric clinical cases. However, there is little research demonstrating the process of change of FAP. The present study evaluated the introduction and withdrawal of FAP interventions on therapy-interfering verbal behaviors of two participants who were in therapy with the researcher. The single-case experimental design was A-B1-B2-C1-C2 (A= therapy without planned interventions; B1 and B2 = introduction of FAP, and C1 and C2 = FAP withdrawal) and occurred over 20 sessions for each client. Results demonstrated both intrasubject and intersubject UHSOLFDWLRQ RI WKH HIIHFWV RI)$3 LQWHUYHQWLRQV RQ WKH YHUEDO EHKDYLRU RI FOLHQWV DQG FRQƂUPHG WKDW WKH PDLQ PHFKDQLVP RI FKDQJH involved in FAP is the direct shaping of behavior in session, within the context of the therapeutic relationship.
The present article describes and analyzes educational experiences related to the teaching of FAP for psychology graduate students DQG SV\FKLDWU\ UHVLGHQWV DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 6ÀR 3DXOR 7KH ƂUVW H[SHULHQFH LQYROYHG SV\FKRORJ\ JUDGXDWH VWXGHQWV DQG LQFOXGHV DQ example of the shaping process occurring within the supervisor-supervisee relationship, the changes observed in the supervisees´ repertories and the impact this had in the way they would conduct therapy. The second experience involved Psychiatry residents WUDLQLQJ WKDW LQYROYHG D UROHSOD\LQJ SURFHGXUH WR SUHVHQW WKH ƂYH UXOHV RI
A literatura sobre terapia comportamental infantil denuncia carência em pesquisas aplicadas que guiem a prestação de serviço. Na Psicoterapia Analítica Funcional (FAP) aplicada a crianças, observa-se tal constatação e nota-se que essa proposta tem sido utilizada como uma técnica adjunta à Terapia Analítico-Comportamental Infantil (TACI) e com pouca sistematização dos procedimentos. Nesse sentido, julga-se importante compreender melhor os processos comportamentais envolvidos na FAP aplicada à população infantil. Para tal, foi realizada uma primeira reflexão por meio de uma comparação entre TACI e FAP com crianças, tomando como base artigos dos principais pesquisadores clínicos brasileiros. As seguintes categorias foram criadas para análise: papel do vínculo terapêutico, tipo de reforço utilizado, forma de utilização das regras da FAP, objetivos da terapia e foco da intervenção. Observou-se que ambas as propostas compartilham elementos e procedimentos, tais como o uso de reforço arbitrário e natural, a relação terapêutica como instrumento de mudança e o uso sistemático ou não das regras da FAP. A diferença importante está na sistematização do uso das cinco regras da FAP nesse tipo de terapia, algo pouco seguido na TACI.
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