ABSTRACT
The behavioral approach to psychotherapy relies upon the concepts, discoveries and methodology of the behavioral sciences, especially psychology. The community reinforcement procedures which are based on a contingency management approach attempt to make drinking a less attractive alternative than abstinence. It has often been suggested that aversion therapy is another method of reducing the relative attractiveness of drinking compared to sobriety and many people in the caring professions appear to equate behavior therapy with aversion therapy. For patients who attempted to achieve a goal of total abstinence, behavior therapy resulted in a better outcome one year after treatment but there was no significant difference after two years. The behavior therapy approach to the treatment of alcoholism is based on the assumption that drinking is influenced by antecedent cues and reinforcing consequences. If there is an irreversible biological basis then the behavioral approach may still suggest ways of modifying drinking behavior.
