Question

What is the difference between present maintaining conditions and past originating conditions?

Why is this distinction important for the behavioral therapies?

Give an example of present maintaining condition versus a past originating condition.

Why do Behavioral therapists focus on present maintaining conditions vs. originating conditions?

Answer 1

• Difference between present maintaining conditions and past originating conditions

Past originating conditions refers to those events that occurred before the behavior, which becomes the cause, in affecting one’s emotional, physiological, behavioral and cognitive responses. Thus, it attempts to explore, “what happened”, “how it happened”, “when did it occur”, “at what age” “what was your experience” and “how did you respond to it”.

In behavioral therapy, describing past originating events, also includes, what kind of thoughts, beliefs or cognitive interpretation the person followed; what kind of emotions, he or she felt; and what was the context.

Present maintaining factors are the factors or events, which maintains the behavior. These factors act as triggers which evoke tendency in engaging in that particular behavior.

• Importance of distinction for the behavioral therapies

This distinction is important as it will help in:

• Formulating treatment plan
• Giving insights about life stressors
• It gives insights about triggers, which should be avoided and taken care of
• By identifying the problematic behaviors and their maintaining factors, specific skills and strategy can be taught to client to overcome such conditions.

• Example of present maintaining condition versus past originating condition

A client Nick, comes to the therapist with the presenting problem of smoking addiction. The therapists asks him about his past history. He describes, that he was an excellent in studies and games. Later he joined the college, and made some friends. He hangout with them, engaged in drinks, partying, bunked classes and entered into relationship. He reported, he didn't have any friends during school years, thus in order to be involved in the group and due to peer pressure, he engaged in drinking and smoking. Later he had a breakup. Thus to cope with that, he engaged in heavy smoking. Later, he barely managed to pass exams. Due to this, he engaged in more smoking. Later, whenever he attends any family function or any party, he smokes.

So in the above case:

Past originating condition- breakup, failure in studies, bad company, peer pressure, loneliness

Present maintaining condition- family functions (occasional smoking by family members), party

• Behavioral therapists focus on present maintaining conditions vs. originating conditions

• Because it provides the past history (including birth history, social history, school history, adolescent history, etc), which act as past originating factors

• It explains, how these past originating factors, leads to problematic behavior

• It also explains, that what emotions, behavior, events and cognitive beliefs affect the problematic behavior and what conditions maintain it.

• By focusing on present maintaining conditions, the therapist can teach strategies in how to tackle these conditions leading to that particular behavior.