In the words of Hayes (2004a, b), the third generation of behavioral therapies has been defined as follows:
<< Grounded in an empirical approach and focused on the principles of learning, the third wave of cognitive and behavioral therapies is particularly sensitive to the context and functions of psychological phenomena, and not only to the form, emphasizing the use of change strategies based on experience and context in addition to other more direct and didactic ones. These treatments tend to seek the construction of broad, flexible and effective repertoires rather than tending towards the elimination of clearly defined problems, highlighting issues that are relevant to both the clinician and the client. The third wave reformulates and synthesizes previous generations of cognitive and behavioral therapies and directs them towards questions, issues and domains previously and mainly addressed by other traditions, in the hope of improving both understanding and results. >>
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These third generation behavioral therapies began to emerge at the end of the 80s, and appeared fully developed with several clinical manuals in the 90s. From there they have been developed and applied to multiple types of clinical problems, and testing their effectiveness in cases clinical and group studies. (Valero, 2010).
They arise, on the one hand, (1) due to the difficulties of more traditional behavior modification therapies in being able to modify behaviors in the person’s daily life, without direct control of contingencies, and in being able to act on problems based on a hour of clinical session with adult individuals. And also, (2) before the difficulties in initially addressing the most cognitive topics, thoughts, obsessions, memories, traumas, etc., with behavior modification techniques, which had been replaced in their explanation by the so-called cognitive-behavioral ones. Here you begin to change thoughts and memories like any other behavior, using language, but without mysteries or deep theories about the individual’s mind. On the other hand, (3) also faced with the problems of generalization and long-term maintenance in many chronic clinical problems, with long treatment histories, and with existential or vital problems, until now only other types of psychologists addressed them.
The second fundamental reason For these new psychotherapies it is the experimental investigation of new principles of behavior, which soon begin to be applied to relationships and clinical therapies. In this case, (1) research on equivalence relationships, which give rise to Relational Framework Theory, which is the basis of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in its explanation of the relationships between thoughts and verbal responses. (2) Also research on rule-governed behaviors, that is, those that are under the control of other verbal stimuli given by other people or by the individual themselves, and that can even change the direct contingencies of the behavior they maintain. This is essential for the way we give directions and instructions with adults. (3) Research in adults on functional analysis in direct contingencies in daily life and in the therapeutic relationship, giving rise to more functional applications within the session itself, and the emphasis on functional analysis in the clinical problems of the individual, rather than diagnostic categorization. (4) The review of the concepts about verbal behavior and private events, as just another behavior, with the same principles and functions as any other motor behavior; thus treating the thoughts, memories and emotions of the individual as objective behaviors to modify, and not as cognitive constructs.
With these bases, to which the authors add their own clinical experience, Jacobson’s “Couple Interaction Therapy” (Jacobson, Christensen, Prince, Cordova & Eldrige, 2000) and Linehan’s “Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy” emerge. (Linehan, 1993). Shortly after, Kohlenberg’s “Functional Analytic Psychotherapy” (Kohlenberg and Tsai (1987), and “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” (Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson 1999; Wilson and Luciano, 2002). of Behavioral Activation” (Jacobson, 1989, Martell, Addis and Jacobson, 1991; Lejez et al; 2005). Subsequently, they have led to other more cognitive-behavioral lines, since even ACT begins to be called “cognitive psychotherapy” in some articles. of acceptance”, giving rise to the now famous “Mindfulness” (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) and also other cognitive-relational psychotherapies, and even constructivists that take concepts such as “acceptance” and “experiential avoidance”
Common features of the therapies
Having this overview of why these therapies arise and what its basic principles are, it would be appropriate to indicate what they consist of in more detail; although to understand them it would also be advisable to point out the most defining characteristics of each of the therapies in order to differentiate them, although we will focus in more detail on the two third generation therapies that are having the most diffusion: Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) and Functional Analytical Psychotherapy (FAP).
Being based on radical behaviorism, these third generation therapies have the following features in common:
They analyze behavior in light of the context in which it occurs, since they start from the basis that a decontextualized and isolated analysis of behavior does not allow us to discover its functionality. For example, “going to the supermarket to buy food” and “walking from the house to the supermarket”, although they are two behaviors that have the same motor behaviors, they are different in terms of their functionality and the context in which they are presented.
They do not examine behavior historically, but as a continuum. Therefore, the history of the individual, together with their development environment, are considered fundamental aspects in the interpretation of said behavior.
No distinction is made between observable and private behavior private events, such as the individual’s emotions, feelings and thoughts, are also analyzed in light of their functionality, as well as the behaviors that constitute the psychological problems for which they are consulted.
They start from the basis that “psychological problems” have their origin in the socioverbal context in which the consultant operates, which dictates what is “normal” or “abnormal.” This socioverbal context also tends to consider thoughts, emotions and other internal events, so it is common for people to tend to try to control their problematic behaviors by controlling these internal events (such as when trying to control anxiety so as not to feel fear towards something). As previously stated, these internal events are analyzed in the same way as observable behavior, since these therapies are not considered the cause of said psychological problems.
They focus on the interaction that occurs between the therapist and the user within the consultation itself, extended as social interaction, and therefore, socio-verbal context. Through verbal and non-verbal exchange between the two of them, the therapist seeks to change the functionality of the behaviors that constitute the behavioral problems.
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