Individual Counseling and Psychotherapy

The terms behavior disorder and guidance are susceptible to varied defi-nitions. For purposes of this chapter, we take behavior disorder to stand in some contrast to the types of emotional difficulty to which the terms neurosis or psychosis apply; behavior disorders represent difficulties that are mani-fest on a behavioral level, as is the case in much delinquency or other inappropriate conduct. We take guidance to include the various forms of counseling and psychotherapy, and include in our review of research not only the usual types of statistical or experimental study but also case study material. The practice of counseling and psychotherapy has undergone almost revolutionary change as its practitioners have reported to each other the analyses of their observations and experiences. Because of the potent implications of this type of research, many of the studies reported in this chapter are those which rely upon such case study data. In the late 1950's a number of studies appeared which indicated that the gains to be achieved in dealing with adolescent behavior disorders by using child guidance methods based on one-to-one relationships were much more modest than many had hoped. Though these findings had been reported, open discussion of them was somewhat inhibited by fear that such information would lead to curtailment of already inadequate re-sources. At the same time there was a flurry of interest, arising largely in correctional settings, in the possibilities of group therapies, especially for "acting-out " adolescents