The Forgotten Pioneer: Celebrating 100 Years of Behavior Therapy
Today, behavioral therapy stands out as one of the most widely practiced forms of psychotherapy. The approach originated with Mary Cover Jones, a psychologist from the United States, who in 1924 published an influential case study focused on addressing anxiety. Although her research served as the cornerstone for a therapeutic approach that is now embraced worldwide, the anniversary of its publication in 2024 went largely unnoticed, as noted by Mannheim-based psychologist Prof. Dr. Georg W. Alpers in his latest article.
In her very first case, Mary Cover Jones took a completely unconventional approach to treating a three-year-old boy who was afraid of rabbits and other furry animals. Drawing from discoveries in psychological learning theory, her inventive approach allowed her to progressively help the child become comfortable with the animals and create positive associations. The year 1924 saw the publication of the influential case study by the psychologist. Her method, which aims to help individuals become less affected by anxiety-inducing factors, is still in use today for the treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, various addictions, and eating disorders. Although she did not name the approach after herself, Mary Cover Jones is frequently acknowledged as a key figure in the development of behavioral therapy. In his article titled "Happy 100th Anniversary, Behavior Therapy!", published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy, Prof. Dr. Alpers pays tribute to this often-overlooked trailblazer.
"Leveraging her background in experimental psychology, Mary Cover Jones conducted comprehensive assessments of the benefits and drawbacks of her treatment strategies, principles that still apply today," says the author. Behavioral therapy is based on core scientific principles and rigorously assesses its outcomes through scientific methods. Besides the pioneering case study involving little Peter, she also performed a thorough evaluation of different behavioral treatments on 70 institutionalized children, some of whom dealt with intense anxiety. "When treating the children, she was both thoughtful and medically rigorous" notes Alpers. Behavioral therapy has gained global recognition since its inception, leading to the establishment of peer-reviewed journals, therapy manuals, and its integration into university curricula.
The essay by Alpers delves into the reasons behind the lack of acknowledgment for Mary Cover Jones and considers why her important anniversary almost went unnoticed. One possible reason could be her choice to refrain from associating the method with her name, instead opting to acknowledge the contributions of earlier figures. Unlike many therapeutic approaches that emphasize the accomplishments of their originators, behavioral therapy places greater importance on the success of its methods instead of the renown of its pioneers. "Despite often being overlooked, we are thankful for the pioneering strategies and insights that Mary Cover Jones' contributions have provided us. We are also amazed at the wide range of trajectories that behavioral therapy has followed over the past 100 years,” Alpers concludes.
Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Prof. Dr. Georg W. Alpers
Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology and Psychotherapy
University of Mannheim
Phone: +49 621 181-2106
e-mail: alpers@uni-mannheim.de
Originalpublikation:
Alpers, G.W. 2024. Happy 100th Anniversary, Behavior Therapy! Behavior Research and Therapy: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2024.104642
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