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Distressed behavior and its context.

¹Oregon Research Institute, 1899 Willamette, Eugene, OR, USA.

The Behavior Analyst

|April 6, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Distressed behaviors, common in depression and chronic pain, may function to elicit social support and reduce aggression from others. This social feedback can shape and maintain these behaviors in clinical populations.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Distress behaviors are frequently observed in individuals with depression and chronic pain.
These behaviors include nonverbal cues (sad expressions, postures) and verbalizations (self-deprecation, complaints).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the functional role of distress behaviors in clinical populations.
To understand the social impact and maintenance of distress behaviors.

Main Methods:

The study examines the functional response class of distress behaviors.
It analyzes the impact of these behaviors on social interactions and the surrounding contingencies.

Main Results:

Distress behaviors elicit negative emotions but also solicitous responses from others.
When direct relief is absent, these behaviors can reduce aggressive responses from others, thus being reinforced.

Conclusions:

The unique social contingencies surrounding distress behaviors may contribute to their high prevalence in depression and chronic pain.
Understanding these social dynamics is crucial for therapeutic interventions.