The case of Jane, a depressed single mother, provides an opportunity to study the components of behavior theory in terms of causes and conditions, target behaviors, modeling, and appropriate therapeutic techniques.
Jane has lost herself. She suffers from frustration and a fair amount of guilt, coupled with insecurity about her job and her financial situation. She has anxiety caused by her perception of having lost control of her children and her life, yet it can be seen that much of her suffering is self-inflicted by some target behaviors such as poor time management, sporadic attendance at work, and lack of participation in enjoyable activities. These behaviors yield undesirable consequences, which perpetuates a deadly cycle in which Jane’s depressive symptoms are amplified and contribute to further dysfunctional behavior. The implication is that Jane’s negative life experiences exceed the positive, especially where those experiences are directly related to her behavior (Lewinsohn, Clarke, & Hoberman, 1989). The key to treating her depression will be to help Jane create a sense of self-efficacy wherein she can directly relate her actions to desirable consequences and overall life improvement.
Appropriate behavioral modeling techniques could help Jane become a more assertive mother and learn more …show more content…
Given that Jane’s problems are largely produced by her own behavior, the use of observational learning techniques will prove most effective. Self-reinforcement techniques for setting standards of time management will help her to get the children to school on time, which will improve their academic performance and reduce anxiety about that issue. Reducing her absenteeism at work will assuage her insecurity and bolster her sense of being in more control of her
Jane has lost herself. She suffers from frustration and a fair amount of guilt, coupled with insecurity about her job and her financial situation. She has anxiety caused by her perception of having lost control of her children and her life, yet it can be seen that much of her suffering is self-inflicted by some target behaviors such as poor time management, sporadic attendance at work, and lack of participation in enjoyable activities. These behaviors yield undesirable consequences, which perpetuates a deadly cycle in which Jane’s depressive symptoms are amplified and contribute to further dysfunctional behavior. The implication is that Jane’s negative life experiences exceed the positive, especially where those experiences are directly related to her behavior (Lewinsohn, Clarke, & Hoberman, 1989). The key to treating her depression will be to help Jane create a sense of self-efficacy wherein she can directly relate her actions to desirable consequences and overall life improvement.
Appropriate behavioral modeling techniques could help Jane become a more assertive mother and learn more …show more content…
Given that Jane’s problems are largely produced by her own behavior, the use of observational learning techniques will prove most effective. Self-reinforcement techniques for setting standards of time management will help her to get the children to school on time, which will improve their academic performance and reduce anxiety about that issue. Reducing her absenteeism at work will assuage her insecurity and bolster her sense of being in more control of her