4 Theories of Adolescent Counseling

According to Pervin (1980), the behavioral approach to therapy holds that all of human behavior is learned behavior. Therefore, child/adolescent abuse is a behavior the abusers have learned through the same principles and processes producing learning of any other behavior. According to behavior theory, what is needed to end the abuse is learning that operates to extinguish (terminate) the abusive response.

Regarding abusive behavior, Papalia and Olds (1992) have noted that behavior therapists, in their work with abusive families, do not look for the underlying psychodynamics giving rise to the behavior. Typically, they also do not offer family members insights into personality, interactive, or background variables involved in the etiology of the abuse.

Instead, behavior therapists simply focus on changing the abusive behavior. Their tools are varied and can include reinforcement (positive and/or negative), modeling, operant conditioning, and so forth. According to Wolfe, Edwards, Manion and Koverola (1988), behavior therapy works best in the area of preventing abuse.

For example, the authors discuss a behavior therapy

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igid ways of perceiving, interpreting, and behaving with one another. This change, in turn, is associated with a reduction and/or elimination of abusive episodes. Transactional Analysis Transactional Analysis (TA) counseling shares many of the same concepts of Adlerian counseling including the notion of a social framework of behavior. TA counseling, according to Berne (1964), focuses on re-evaluating old decisions and making new and more appropriate ones; it stresses the equality of client and therapist, seeks the alignment of goals, and uses a therapeutic contract. The role of re-education is also highly stressed. In their discussion of TA, Barocas, Reichman & Schwebel (1983) point out that TA theorists believe that during early childhood, people form three personality parts or ego states; (1) the parent ego state consisting of a system of rules for living; (2) the adult ego state consisting of rational, purposeful decision-making skills; and (3) the child ego state consisting of the emotional response which can be creative, playful, joy-loving but which can also be angry and despairing. The theory holds that people relate to one another in different ways depending upon what ego state is operating. For examp
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