Kohlenberg, Robert 1. Functional analytic psychotherapy: creating intense and curative therapeutic relationships I Robert 1. Kohlenberg and Mavis Tsai. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.

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It is well known that the therapeutic relationship known as trans-ferenceIcountertransference forms the core theoretical construct of lp$yb++ dynamically oriented psychotherapy. In contrast, for behavior therapists (with the notable exceptions of Goldfried, 1982;Jacobson, 1989

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A neglected class of sexual assault victims consists of women who were molested as children. In response to their unmet needs, therapy groups composed solely of women who were sexually abused in their childhood have been established. The goals of these groups are twofold: (1) the alleviation of sexual guilt and shame and (2) the clarification of emotional and behavioral consequences of molestation. Ten groups have been conducted, each containing four to six members, comprising an overall total of 50 women. In 97% of the cases, a prior relationship had existed between perpetrator and victim. Treatment consisted of a four-session format. During session I, each group participant described her molestation experiences in detail. Sessions II and III focused on how these experiences have affected the women. Session IV dealt with individual stages of recovery and further treatment plans. Clinical findings included feelings of guilt and depression, negative self-image, and problems in interpersonal relationships associated with an underlying mistrust of men, inadequate social skills, and difficulties in sexual functioning. Evaluations of the therapy groups by the participants indicated that the primary curative component was the sense of identification and emotional closeness instilled by a warm and supportive environment where a common bond was shared.

Although initially many readers may react negatively to the radical behaviorism on which this paper is based, we believe the widespread view of radical behaviorism as miscreant is a vestige of its theoretical, philosophical, and methodological positions that used to be at odds with the Zeitgeist. A reexamination of these positions reveals a well-developed theory with explicitly defined concepts that are uncannily relevant in terms of current interests in contextualism, the therapeutic relationship, and integration. In this paper we will demonstrate that a radical behaviorally based approach to psychotherapy, functional analytical psychotherapy (FAP), is a comprehensive theory that helps clinicians to be open to the potential usefulness of any therapeutic viewpoint and technique. The major question we address is, 'What is the rational basis for selecting the technique that is appropriate for a particular client at a particular time?" In exploring the answers to this question, we examine the theoretical foundations of FAP, describe the five major guidelines for doing FAP, and illustrate how the principles of FAP embrace and enhance concepts and techniques from therapies as diverse as psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy. FAP offers not only translation across theoretical boundaries, an essential requirement for integrative theory, but also preserves deeper meanings and clinical implications. Most importantly, FAP calls for varied therapeutic stances and techniques that no single therapeutic orientation would predict, depending on (1) what will evoke client issues, (2) whether client problems are rule governed or contingency shaped, and (3) what will be naturally reinforcing of client target behaviors.

In most talk therapies for outpatient adults, the therapist has no control over the client's daily life or contingencies outside the treatment session. The fundamental theoretical issue facing the behavior analyst is, "How can the talking that goes on during the session help the client with problems that occur outside the session in the client's daily life?" An historical analysis and the application ofverbal behavior principles are used to answer the question and form the basis of clinical behavior analysis (CBA). The implications of CBA range from providing a theoretical base for psychotherapy to suggesting new forms of treatment.