Coverant Control

Description of the Strategy

The word coverant is a contraction of covert operant. Thus, it is an internal response that is reinforced (positively or negatively), punished, extinguished, or modeled. However, because the operants are strictly internal (and therefore accessible only by the individual), the consequences must likewise be administered internally. The therapist acts only as an instructor, not as the consequential agent.

There are several types of covert control procedures. Four (covert extinction, covert response cost, thought-stopping, and covert sensitization) decrease frequency of undesirable behavior. Two (covert positive reinforcement and covert negative reinforcement) increase frequency of positive behavior. Covert modeling can be used to either increase or decrease the frequency of a behavior. In using any of these procedures, repetition is very important. People seldom, if ever, learn new thoughts or behaviors after one intervention.

Covert Extinction. The client is instructed to imagine performing an undesirable behavior, called the target behavior, and then not being reinforced for that behavior. For example, a client who is unduly forthright would be instructed to imagine herself approaching people too aggressively and being ignored or avoided.

Covert Response Cost. This is similar to covert extinction, but here, clients are asked to imagine that they have no additional reinforcer other than the one maintaining the response. There is a cost because other responses might have provided additional reinforcement. Thus, the aggressive client above would have no way of obtaining the attention she wants and needs.

Thought-Stopping. This was once a familiar technique in the behavior therapist's armamentarium. When the client thinks the undesirable thought or behavior, he is [Page 227]instructed to shout “Stop!” (preferably silently, although occasionally out loud). The client is then instructed to breathe deeply, exhale, and relax. Finally, he is asked to think of a pleasant scene as a reward for terminating the undesirable thought. Sometimes, snapping a rubber band on one's wrist is used rather than the “Stop!” command. This can be useful for clients who ruminate constantly and are disturbed by it.

Covert Sensitization. This is perhaps the best known of the coverant control methods. It is a procedure that pairs an undesirable behavior with an aversive imagery scene. Once the undesirable behavior is reduced or eliminated, so is the aversive image. For example, a client who wishes to stop smoking would be instructed to visualize (in very graphic detail) how sick he becomes when reaching for a cigarette, taking it out of the pack, and putting it in his mouth. As he turns away from the cigarette, he is instructed to notice how much better he feels. Clients who are good at imagery might become quite sick as a result! Theoretically, both classical conditioning and escape conditioning are involved.

Covert Positive Reinforcement. In this procedure, the client is asked to imagine performing a positive target behavior and then to imagine a pleasant scene. For example, a client who has a fear of driving may be asked to imagine herself sitting in a car and driving away, then imagine a pleasant day at the beach. The latter acts as a positive reinforcer for the former.

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