Behavior Therapy: First, Second, and Third Waves

This book provides a comprehensive overview of first, second, and third wave behavior therapies, comparing and contrasting their relative strengths and weaknesses. Recent discussion and research has focused intently on third wave behavior therapies, in particular Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This is in contrast with first wave behavior therapies (what today might be called applied behavior analysis or clinical behavior therapy) and second wave behavior therapies brought about by the “cognitive revolution”. The editors aim to provide a fuller understanding of this psychotherapeutic paradigm, tracking how behavior therapies have evolved through history and various paradigm shifts in the field.

To this end, the book is organized into five sections covering:

• Introduction to the three waves of behavior therapy
• Assessment and measurement strategies
• Comparative issues and controversies
• Applicationsof the three waves of behavior therapy to 7 major disorders: anxiety, depression, obesity, psychosis, substance abuse, ADHD, and chronic pain
• Implications of and future directions for behavior therapies

This volume provides a useful perspective on the evolution of cognitive behavior therapy that will inform the study and practice of a variety of mental health professionals.

William O’Donohue, Ph.D., is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has published research on evidence-based practice in behavioral health, focusing on cognitive behavior therapy. Dr. O'Donohue has published more than 80 books and 300 journal articles and book chapters. He has served as Principle Investigator on a number of grants that have focused on the transfer of technology to practice, including a grant investigating transferring integrated care to a variety of medical settings in Hawaii.

Akihiko Masuda, Ph.D., is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. His primary areas of interest include philosophy of science, behaviorisms, acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral therapies, diversity, and Zen Buddhism. He is the author of more than 90 peer-reviewed papers and 40 book chapters. He is the editor of the book, Mindfulness and Acceptance in Multicultural Competency (New Harbinger, 2014) and the co-editor of the books, Handbook of Zen, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Health (Springer, 2017) and Prejudice, Stigma, Privilege, and Oppression: A Behavioral Health Handbook (Springer, 2020).