Procedures for Health and Medical Problems

Abstract

Behavioral medicine is a popular and rapidly growing field in applied behavior analysis. Applications of behavioral principles to health and medical problems include eliminating headaches, controlling hypertension, weight reduction, improving compliance to medical regimens, controlling epileptic seizures, and reducing chronic pain, to name just a few. For a more complete discussion, the interested reader is referred to Williams and Gentry (1977). In working with brain-injured individuals, we have applied behavioral principles to problems in using assistive devices, operant seizures, bulimia, obesity, hypochondriacal statements, and diabetic clients manipulating staff through noncompliance with their medical regimens.