Meera, a 24-year-old trainee at a Pune software firm, was often neglected by her parents as a child. Last month her team leader mocked her presentation in front of the whole team. Since then she keeps thinking "I am stupid" and "I will not succeed", and feels anxious before every meeting. In the first session her psychologist asked Meera and her flatmate when the worry starts, what Meera does at such times and what makes it ease. From these answers the psychologist drew up a plan: deep-breathing relaxation, gentle questions such as "What does it mean to you to succeed?", practice of short presentations, and a move to a more supportive team. The psychologist explains each method to Meera and plans about 15 sessions.
The way the psychologist arrived at Meera's plan reflects which skill that behaviour therapy demands of a therapist?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Accurate behavioural analysis and building a treatment package
Option (1) Preparing a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking stimuli for desensitisation — Incorrect. This is a step of systematic desensitisation, Wolpe's method for phobias. It is one single technique, while the question is about first studying the behaviour and then choosing techniques.
Option (2) Accurate behavioural analysis and building a treatment package — Correct. Asking when the worry starts, what Meera does then and what makes it ease is an accurate behavioural analysis (malfunctioning behaviour, antecedent and maintaining factors). Drawing up a plan of several methods from it is building a treatment package. As behaviour therapy has a great variety of techniques, this is where the skill of the therapist lies.
Option (3) Refuting irrational beliefs through gentle non-directive questioning — Incorrect. This is how Rational Emotive Therapy works on irrational beliefs. It is a cognitive method.
Option (4) Creating a permissive, non-judgmental and accepting atmosphere — Incorrect. This is the setting of humanistic-existential therapy, where the client's emotions are freely expressed.
NCERT (2026-27): “Behavioural Techniques … “Activity 5.3” “in behaviour therapy. The skill of the therapist lies in conducting an accurate behavioural analysis and building a treatment package with the appropriate techniques.” |