Behavioral Consultation

The behavioral consultation (BC) model was originally developed by John R. Bergan (1977) as an extension of D’Zurilla and Goldfried’s (1971) problem-solving approach to behavior therapy as well as attempts to apply behavior modification in residential schools and treatment centers (e.g., Reppucci & Saunders, 1974). With respect to the former inf luence on BC, D’Zurilla and Goldfried characterized problem solving and behavior modification as sharing similar goals — training behaviors that can be used across situations to increase positive consequences and avoid negative consequences. Toward these goals, the authors described a general problemsolving process to help individuals identify potentially effective solutions through problem definition and brainstorming and to select the best solution through problem analysis and outcome assessment.