Assessing the Mechanism of Change of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy

FAP is a therapeutic procedure based on behavior analytic principles. This approach seeks to implement procedures to manipulate the contingencies of reinforcement involved in clients' problem and alternative behaviors within the context of a meaningful therapeutic relationship that is functionally equivalent to other interpersonal contexts outside (Follette, Naugle \& Linnerooth, 2000; Kohlenberg \& Tsai, 1991). FAP therapists modify CRBs by implementing contingent responding (TCRB) within the therapeutic setting. That is, FAP aims to administer differential reinforcement (TCRB1) to reduce CRB1s and to provide positive reinforcement to enhance CRB2s. Based on the changes within the therapeutic setting, clients are prompted to discriminate contexts where those repertoires are likely reinforced and to generalize those responses to such environments (Kohlenberg \& Tsai, 1991).