Chapter 3 - Overview of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors Treatment

Summary

In this chapter, ComB treatment is introduced within the context of various BFRB treatment approaches that have been reported over past decades. Brief descriptions of psychodynamic, pharmacological, and so-called “alternative treatments” are briefly reviewed, but the emphasis is on behavioral treatments like habit reversal training (HRT) and its variants, that have dominated research and clinical reports for a half century. ComB treatment is introduced, with attention to its derivation from the ComB conceptual model, and its focus on sensory, cognitive, affective, motor, and place (environmental) variables as critical for assessment and for the design of individualized treatment. Technical aspects of ComB treatment, such as the identification of BFRB functions, its presumed mechanisms of action, its flexibility in individualizing the application to each client, and potential advantages over other treatment approaches are described.