The techniques used in behaviour therapy are not based on any unified theory. These are developed on the basis of various principles particularly on classical conditioning, operant conditioning and modelling. The main objective of the techniques are to modify maladaptive behaviour. Negative reinforcement and aversive conditioning are the two major techniques of behaviour modification. 

1. Reinforcement Techniques: 

(а) Negative Reinforcement: It refers to following an undesired response with an outcome that is painful or not liked. For example, a mother may cover her son’s thumb with a bitter NEEM paste so that he should not develop habit of thumb sucking. Due to the bitterness, the child tries to avoid or withdraw the bitterness of thumb and will leave the habit of thumb-sucking. 

Aversive Conditioning: 

• It is establishing relationship between undesirable behaviour and aversive consequences. 

• Aversive therapy is a therapeutic technique which uses an unpleasant stimulus to change a deviant behaviour. 

• It works by pairing together the stimulus that normally invites the deviant behaviour (such as an alcoholic drink or sexual image) with an unpleasant (aversive) stimulus such as an electric shock or a nausea-inducing drug, with repeated presentations. 

• The two stimuli become associated and the person develops an aversion toward the stimulus that formerly gave rise to the deviant behaviour. 

(b) Positive Reinforcement: If an adaptive behaviour occurs, positive reinforcement may be used by the therapist. For example, the child’s mother may prepare child’s favourite dish on the day when most of the time child was being observed not keeping his thumb in the mouth. 

Token Economy: A behaviour therapy is based on positive reinforcement. 

• A package or deal is being established between the therapist and the client. 

• Persons with behavioural problems can be given a token as a reward every time a wanted behaviour occurs. 

• The tokens are collected and exchanged with for a predetermined reward such as outing for the patient or a treat for the child. 

• The technique is widely used in hospitals, schools and reformatory. 

(c) Differential Reinforcement: In differential reinforcement, both positive and negative reinforcements are used together. By using this method, unwanted behaviour can be reduced and wanted behaviour can be increased simultaneously. 

(d) Method of ignoring Unwanted Behaviour: In this method, the therapist positively reinforces the wanted behaviour and ignores the unwanted behaviour. For example, the parents are instructed to praise the child or give chocolate to him or to take him to cinema if the child does not suck the thumb, : but ignore the unwanted behaviour that is sucking the thumb. Thismethod is less painful and equally effective for modifying the unwanted behaviour. 

2. Systematic Desensitisation: It is a technique introduced by Wolpe, for treating phobias or irrational fears. This technique is based on the principle of reciprocal inhibition. This principle states that the presence of two mutually opposing forces forces at the same time, inhibits the weaker force, e.g., distress, at the same time, relaxation, can not occur. The technique follows four steps: 

(i) Initial interview. 

(ii) Training in relaxation exercises.  

(iii) Preparation of hierarchy of anxiety-provoking situation. This is a subjective process and changes from problem to problem.  

(iv) Desensitization: When the client becomes relaxed, he/she is exposed to least anxietyprovoking situation. Over sessions, the client is able to unique more severe fear-provoking situations while maintaining with relaxation. The client gets systematically desensitized to the fear.

3. Modelling: It is the procedure wherein the client learns to behave in a certain way by observing the behaviour of a role model or the therapist. 

• It is role playing. 

• Vicarious learning (learning by observing others) is used and through a process of rewarding small changes in the behaviour, the client gradually learns to acquire the behaviour of the model.