Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

behavior therapy

American  

noun

Psychology.
  1. a form of therapy emphasizing the correction of a person's undesirable behavior through Pavlovian conditioning, aversive therapy, or similar learning techniques.


Etymology

Origin of behavior therapy

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He recently participated in a 10-week dialectical behavior therapy class, but he didn’t get the connection and support he received in past in-person group settings, he said.

From Los Angeles Times May 9, 2025

A signpost with six arrows on it sent users to different activities, each based on methods shown to improve mental health, such as dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

From Science Daily May 1, 2024

In December 2020, Ms. Smith started dialectical behavior therapy, an offshoot of cognitive behavioral therapy, at Hofstra University.

From New York Times Aug. 27, 2022

Beck’s work, along with that of Albert Ellis, a psychologist working independently, provided the architecture for what is known as cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT.

From Seattle Times Nov. 5, 2021

A therapist who uses cognitive behavior therapy is a great tool to have in your toolbox when recovering from trauma.

From Slate Oct. 27, 2021

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training