Question:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using behavioral approaches when working with children and adolescents?

Answer:

Gosh! I'm going to take a guess at what you mean. I think that you are using the term "behavioral approaches" to mean the Stimulus - Response model originally developed by Pavlov and expanded by Skinner. For many of us, this model felt mechanistic, that is, that we could and had the right to manipulate others.

Look at the chart that my colleague, Diana Browning Wright, developed to explain and contrast that model with current thinking.

Whew! So, back to your question. I believe that if you use the term "behavioral approaches" to mean applying positive strategies to eliminate the need to use a problem behavior, and teach the young person how to get her needs met in socially acceptable ways, there are no disadvantages! And it works!