Behavioural Approach

What does the behavioral approach involve?

The Behaviorism approach in the psychological term used for the treatments of the mental disorder. This approach involves the human behavior, the change in those behaviors and using methods under this approach to unlearn specific behaviors and new behaviors are being taught to the patient. The human behavior is easy to learn and can be observed through measurable approach. There are some of the behaviors occur in the human being due to mental disorder which can be unlearn when those behaviors turns into unacceptable condition. The unconscious mind and the condition of the brains cannot be seen as per the researchers but the acts and reaction of any human being can be seen and assessed and these the significant features are involving in this approach.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral approach?

Every aspect of significant approaches have their advantages and disadvantages which can be experienced through various factors. Some of the advantages of behavioral approach are as follow:

• The first and most positive point of this approach that this can be used easily and putting into practice can be done efficiently.
• The researchers have derived this approach by extensive research and made it easy to understand by the practicing psychiatrist and achieved several positive results through it.
• The steps involving in this approach are small and easy to apply.
• The principle involving this approach uses the reinforcement of rewarded behaviors.
• The results achieved through this approach are measurable and the progress can be assessed easily.
• There is no specific age limit involved in this approach. Every age of patient can be treated through it.

After going through the advantages of behavioral approach, the disadvantages should also be taken into consideration as follow:

• The first disadvantage of this approach is that it is not necessarily gives the positive result but variation in the results are certain in using this approach.
• This approach involves the voluntarily steps which is suggested to patient to follow but the chances of resistance are sometimes leads to failure of this approach.
• The small and significant steps which are designed to treat the patient are not always acceptable by the older patients.
• The steps which have been designed to use this approach have ignored the common feelings of the patient attributed to the mental problem.
• The other significant disadvantage of this approach is punishment factor which are not appreciated by many.
• The mental state of this patient is uncertain and the changes in behavior takes time which often increased the amount of punishment in it.
• The steps which are being undertaken to apply this approach involves the pressure and further pressure to patients are mostly proven to be harmful.

What disorders can the behavioral approach help?

This approach is used for the treatment of several disorder which includes the obesity, excessive drinking, anxiety and schizophrenia.

What are the ethical implications of behavioral approach?

The practice of behavioral approach also involve the ethical implications which are being ignored by few of the researchers but the ethical committee are working to eliminate the issues which are raising concern and the practice of this approach involves such practices. The usage of specific procedures in this approach which involves punishment given to the patients for undesirable behavior while applying the behavioral approach is unethical. The criticism has been done widely on these practices in which the patient who is already suffering from a specific mental condition have to go through the pressure of punishment.

Cognitive Approach

1. What does the cognitive approach involve?

The psychological approach which is modern as compared to other approaches which it comes to the treatment of mental disorders through therapies is known as cognitive approach. This approach involves the focus on the human behavior while using the thought process. The thought process of any human being directly effects the behavior and the reactions. IN contrast to behavioral approach, this approach also involves other factors as well while assessing the human behavior and those factors are biological approach. The biological approach also influences the behavior of any human being because of the imbalance of chemical and genetics. After the criticism done on the behavioral approach, this approach came into being to treat human brains which is going through mental disorder. It includes the aspects in a modern term where it is considered that human brain also works as brain by following the cycle of stimulus comes first and later one affects to response happens through human behavior.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of cognitive approach?

There are several advantages of this approach which have widely help psychiatrists in treating the mental disorder and the significant ones are as follow:

• This approach like other approaches don’t ignore the thought process of the patient who is going through mental disorder. The behavior is always influenced by the attention, memory and perception which this approach considered the most when providing the treatment.
• The mental disorder influence the human being towards the irrational thoughts and psychologists have always used this specific approach to turn those irrational thoughts into rational ones by applying the rational emotive therapy.

Some of the disadvantages of this approach is as follow to consider while assessing:

• The most significant and effective disadvantage of this approach is that it emphasize only on the individual thoughts which ignores all other aspects. The human behavior involves all the process which influences not just the behavior but the atmosphere in which the functioning is happening. Ignoring all other aspects is proven to be the disadvantage of this approach which further creates problem for the patient.
• This approach uses the comparing method of human brain to computer which is not a practical practice as psychologist. The human brain is way too complex to compare to any machines. The emotions and feelings which are influences the brain leading to mental disorder can never be cured because machines don’t have these.

What disorders can the cognitive approach help?

The obsessive compulsive disorder is treated through this approach and according to the psychologists it has provided positive proven result so far. This disorder is closely related to anxiety and obsession which influences the behavior of any human being badly.

What are the ethical implications of cognitive approach?

The ethical implications which are being involved in this approach involves the lack of consent, not risk assessment and out of office sessions. All these are being criticized widely because of the nature of these methods used in cognitive psychological approach. The access by asking questions which can be manipulated the thought of patient can lead to gaining of the information from the memory which highly unethical and this method should be reversed or the consent should be taken before using this method. Other methods such as out of office session involves change in the environment can lead to discomfort of patient and in the end the risk involve using these methods are not being taken into consideration first when using them.

Humanistic Approach

1. What does the humanistic approach involve?

The humanistic approach in psychology emphasizes on the study of not just the brain or behavior but it focuses on the whole human being. The behavior which is being assessed through this approach not only limited to the eyes of observer but it also gives the dimension of the patient himself/herself while conducting any specific behavior and behaving in any way. The self-image and inner feeling of any human being is wholly connected to the behavior of that human being which plays its role on the mental health and psychologists believe in observing those feelings and image helps in knowing the human. According to the other approaches which have been always emphasized on the human being as the product of the environment surrounding that human being. The humanistic approach contradict this notion and indicates that the human behavior depends solely on the teaching, growing and leaning. The love, caring and grief is involved in this approach to be taken into consideration while providing the treatment through therapies.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of humanistic approach?

Like all the other approaches, this approach also involves the positive and negative side of it. The following are some of the most significant advantages of humanistic approach in psychology:

• The first and for most important aspect of this approach which is considered to be the advantage is that it involves the autonomy and free choice of the behavior. Other approaches use the scientific methods whereas, this approach finds the solution of the problem through appropriate other alternatives.
• The only approach which places the patient first and the experience of the patient. After that the meaning of behaviors through disorder places in the second position which helps in giving the patient importance on everything.
• The patient is not treated as the subject but as a human being which needs the care.
• This approach provides the client respect.
• The idea which is promoted in this approach is giving the idea to patient that he/she should take responsibility of himself/Herself first rather rely on other things.

After going through the advantages, this approach also consist some disadvantages which influences this approach:

• The approach of giving the free will to patients is no applicable to all the patients because not everyone can choose well while suffering from mental health.
• The subjective experience shouldn’t be the only emphasize which leads to lack of understanding.
• The factors which are being used in this method are not scientific and that’s why couldn’t be studied or prove their viability.
• There’s not empirical support attributed to this approach.

What disorders can the humanistic approach help?

This approach is being used by the psychologists for various kinds of mental disorder which involves the substance-abuse, depression, disorder related to anxiety, eating disorder, panic attacks and low self-esteem. Apart from these disorders, this approach is widely used for the relationship issues and issues related to body image.

What are the ethical implications of humanistic approach?

The ethical implication involves in this approach are mostly on the methods which are being used in this approach. Mostly the free will and let the patient choose its own preferred behavior lacks the effectiveness. The too much involvement in the personal life of patient through emphasizing on putting on the first also effects the consent of patient.