An application of functional analytic psychotherapy in a case of anxiety panic disorder without agoraphobia.

Abstract

Traditional methods of diagnosis are of little therapeutic use when diagnostic criteria are based upon topographical rather than functional aspects of behavior. Also, this sentence in the original seemed rather awkward and a bit unclear. In contrast to this, several authors have put forward experience avoidance disorders as an alternative which takes functional criteria into account. This case study presents the analysis and treatment of an anxiety disorder following the formulation of functional analytic psychotherapy. This psychotherapy is based on a therapeutic relationship which puts particular emphasis on natural reinforcement and eventualities which occur in a clinical context, relating them to a natural context, and establishing functional equivalences. The different stages of the treatment are described and details are given of the therapeutic relationship and the monitoring of the results over a period of 18 months.

Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) in Ibero-America: Review of current status and some proposals.

“…Some studies conducted by researchers and behavioral therapists in Ibero-America (Hierro & Vandenberghe, 2005, López, Ferro & Calvillo, 2010López, Ferro & Valero, 2010;Novoa-Gómez & Santolaya, 2010) reported on successful interventions in the use of FAP for various clinical problems, in combination with Acceptance and Committment therapy (ACT) (Novoa-FAP specifically is related to ACT as derivations of radical behaviorism and involve the component of acceptance (Ferro, 2000, Pérez-Alvarez, 2006Virués-Ortega, Descalzo & Venceslá, 2003).The two therapies also call attention to the importance of verbal behavior and its characteristics when formulating and intervening in clinical cases (Kohlenberg, Tsai, Ferro, Valero, Fernández, & Virués-Ortega, 2005, Montgomery, 2008Novoa & Guzman, 2008, Pérez-Alvarez, 2006Virués-Ortega, Descalzo & Venceslá, 2003). In addition, FAP and ACT emphasize the importance of observing the impact of the therapist in interaction with clients (Ferro, Valero & López, 2007;Luciano, 1999, Montgomery, 2008Virués-Ortega, Descalzo & Venceslá, 2003).…”

“…Some studies conducted by researchers and behavioral therapists in Ibero-America (Hierro & Vandenberghe, 2005, López, Ferro & Calvillo, 2010; López, Ferro & Valero, 2010; Novoa-Gómez & Santolaya, 2010) reported on successful interventions in the use of FAP for various clinical problems, in combination with Acceptance and Committment therapy (ACT) (Novoa-Gómez & Santolaya, 2010) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). These empirical evaluations of FAP obtain the expected behavioral changes in individuals, couples (Vandenberghe, Nasser, Smith & Pereira, 2010), and groups (Vandenberghe & Ferro, 2005; Vandenberghe, 2009).…”

“…Similarly, López-Bermudez, Ferro & Calvillo (2010) identified the benefits of FAP in the analysis of a case of a woman diagnosed with panic disorder without agoraphobia. The client's courage to take positive action correlated with reflection in the here-and-now of the client-therapist relationship, highlighting the need for the therapist to develop a repertoire of observation, identification and natural reinforcement of CRBs, and to establish functional relationships between CRBs and daily life, as proposed by Kohlenberg & Tsai (1995).…”

Introduction to Using Structured Evocative Activities in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy

“…FAP and FAP-enhanced treatments have been found to be effective for a range of problems, including major depression (Kohlenberg, Kanter, Bolling, & Parker, 2002), smoking cessation (Gifford, Kohlenberg, Hayes, Pierson, Piasecki, Antonuccio, & Palm, 2011), anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder: Lopez-Bermudez, Ferro, & Calvillo, 2010; OCD: Mendes & Vandeberghe, 2009), a variety of personality disorders (e.g., Callahan, Summers, & Weidman, 2003), and interpersonal issues (Vandenberghe, Nasser, & Pereira, 2010; Rabin, Tsai, & Kohlenberg, 1996). While research in FAP is growing, clinicians may still find elusive how to concretely integrate or implement FAP interventions that center on the therapist noticing, evoking and responding effectively to client problems (i.e., CRB1s) and improvements (i.e., CRB2s) as they occur in-session.…”

Treatment of a disorder of self through Functional Analytic Psychotherapy.

“…Many case studies have supported FAP (see Baruch, Kanter, Busch, Plummer, Tsai, Rusch, Landes & Holman, 2009; Ferro, 2008) and more specifically, it has been successful in cases of emotional problems (Ferro, Valero & Vives, 2006, López-Bermúdez, Ferro & Calvillo, 2010, López-Bermúdez, Ferro & Valero, 2010).…”