Assignment:
Therapy and a Behavior Contract
Scenario for completing the behavior contract assignment:
Kaine and Jayleine Kouple have been married for 20 years. They have successfully raised three children ages 35, 33, and 30 who are doing very well - John is a mechanical engineer, Joyce is an operations manager at a chemical plant, and Vince owns and operates a coffee business. Kaine's problem with alcohol began shortly after he was laid off at 55, 10 years short of his target retirement age. He invested all his $120,000 severance pay into a franchise, which unfortunately did not do well; so he was forced to liquidate it at a significant loss. Their home is not paid off, the medical bills for Kaine are mounting, and his job search has now entered the seventh month. His wife and children have tried to help him to no avail. He comes home late at night, sleeps all day, and is increasingly isolated and angry. These behaviors have persisted and are now threatening his marriage. After lengthy persuasion from his wife, Kaine agreed to seek individual and marital counseling. The couple turned to your agency, KCH Family Counseling for help. After your first session with the couple you identified several goals they will work together on. Your next meeting is an individual session with Kaine.
QUESTIONS:
1. Develop a plan for self-directed change for Kaine. Your behavioral contract (paper) must be two t0 three pages, written in APA format
2. First, select a goal: something that Kaine would like to change about himself. Perhaps he will like to control drinking, improve communication with his wife, manage his anger, or change his outlook on life. Whichever issue you select, it is critical that your goal be measurable, attainable, positive, and significant to Kaine.
3. Next, change the goal into target behaviors. What specific behaviors do you want to help Kaine increase or decrease?
4. Third, choose a means of monitoring your progress, such as a chart or a behavioral diary.
5. Finally, choosing a realistic time frame, write up a contract that states all of the above points and specifies both internal and external consequences for actions, such as short-term rewards for adhering to the contract and a long-term reward for meeting the goals