Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them.
Behavioral therapy has successfully been used to treat a large number of conditions. It’s considered to be extremely effective. About 75 percent of people who enter cognitive behavioral therapy experience some benefits from treatment.
Applied behavior therapy and play therapy are both used for children. Treatment involves teaching children different methods of responding to situations more positively.
A central part of this therapy is rewarding positive behavior and punishing negative behavior. Parents must help to reinforce this in the child’s day-to-day life.
Behavioral therapy is of many types like APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) for Autism, VERBAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (VBT), COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT), DEVELOPMENTAL AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES RELATIONSHIP (DIR) therapy (also called Floortime), RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION (RDI) etc.
For Autistic children, the most commonly used behavioral therapy is APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA). It is a highly structured, scientific approach that teaches play, communication, self-care, academic and social living skills, and can reduce problematic behaviors. There is plenty of research showing that it improves outcomes for children with autism.