The treatment of maladaptive behavior is called behavioral family therapy. Behavioral therapy aims to eliminate undesirable characteristics and strengthen those that are more desirable. Behaviorism is the basis of treatment. Behaviorism teaches that people learn their traits from the environment around them. The term Behaviorism was first coined by Edward Thorndike in the 20th century. He believed that behavior could be affected. Bipolar illness, alcohol and drug misuse, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and depression are examples of common mental health issues that may be addressed through behavioral family therapy. The classical method of behavioral family therapy can also be used to treat borderline personality disorders and eating disorders. Classical conditioning refers to a technique used in behavioral family treatment that involves the creation of strong connections among stimuli. Stimulus is an environment event that causes a tissue or organ to produce a particular response. This strategy pairs neutral stimuli with environmental stimuli to trigger a response. Once there are several pairs, neutral stimuli will form a connection with natural stimuli. They can then independently trigger reactions. While classical conditioning is the main approach for changing behavior, it can be supplemented by behavioral family therapy.
The aim of Aversion Treatment is to link maladaptive behaviors with unpleasant stimuli in order for the behavior to be significantly decreased. For example, an individual suffering from alcoholism must take disulfiram. This medication can cause severe side effects such as headaches and nausea when combined with alcohol. Flooding is a treatment for phobias that involves exposure to anxiety and fast circumstances. The flooding strategy prevents an individual from running from fear. There are other options. One is contingency management. This involves written contracts between instructors, therapists, and students. The terms outline penalties and rewards for bad behavior.