Problem: As a student, how will you respond to this classmate of yours below, include in-text citations, references and ask questions
Working with Joseph, I would lean heavily on behavioral therapy strategies because of how directly they target observable patterns like avoidance and anxiety responses. From my experience in RBT I've seen how powerful it is to break behaviors down and build them back up through reinforcement. In Joseph's case, the main behavior I would want to change is his avoidance of social situations, since that seems to be maintaining his social phobia and reinforcing his fear. I would start with gradual exposure (systematic desensitization), helping him face social situations in chaining way, from low-anxiety interactions like making brief eye contact or saying hello to more challenging ones like participating in group discussions. Pairing this with relaxation techniques would help reduce physiological anxiety. Reinforcement would be key here. Each time Joseph engages in a target behavior, we would positively reinforce it with verbal praise, self-reward, or even tracking progress visually like tokens so he can see growth over time. According to Prerost (2024), reinforcement strengthens adaptive behaviors and is especially effective in treating anxiety-related disorders. I would also incorporate elements of REBT by helping Joseph identify and challenge his irrational beliefs (like "Everyone is judging me" or "I'll embarrass myself"). Reframing these thoughts into more balanced ones can reduce emotional distress and support behavioral change (Vernon, 2022). This combination is important because behavior and cognition are so interconnected. In terms of a timeline, this change obviously wouldn't be immediate. Based on research and my own clinical experience, I would expect to see some progress within 8-12 weeks if with consistent sessions and practice, though deeper change may take longer depending on his engagement and severity of symptoms. Overall, the goal is to help Joseph build confidence through repeated, reinforced success in social situations. Need Assignment Help?