An introduction to behavior therapy with children might be best accomplished by a brief analysis of behavior therapy in general. Behavior therapy may be considered a multifaceted theoretical model, an experimental methodology, and a set of techniques (Goldfried & Davison, 1994; Phillips, 1998). From a theoretical perspective, principles of learning including classical conditioning (Wolpe, 1958), operant conditioning (Skinner, 1953) and social/ observational learning (Bandura, 1969) have been central to the development of behavior therapy. More recently, cognitive, social, physiological, family systems, and developmental principles have been incorporated into behavioral theories (Mash, 1989; Mash & Terdal, 1997). Basic to behavior therapy is a supposition that the same learning principles govern the acquisition and extinction of both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. In general, events of the present as opposed to those of the past are the focus of intervention.

The essence of behavior therapy is a methodology that permits replication of findings. Behavior therapists are empiricists and adapt their treatment to the client's problems rather than offer a uniform therapeutic approach. Ideally, each behavior therapy case yields results beneficial to the client and at the same time provides data that can be used by other behavior therapists. Behavior therapy is expected to include a detailed description of treatment procedures and measures used to reflect that treatment; the design of the study should permit data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Both single-case and group designs are employed (Barlow & Hersen, 1984; Kazdin, 1998).

Behavior therapy is constantly expanding and evolving. A comprehensive discussion of the vast field of child behavior therapy can be found in Watson and Gresham (1998). However, though techniques are important and provide for a logical representation of behavior therapy with children, it is important to note that “Developing the techniques for application is easy if you know basic operant and respondent conditioning principles; modifying the techniques to fit a specific case is impossible if you do not” (Linscheid, 1999, p. 215). . .

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