The Forgotten Pioneer: Celebrating 100 Years of Behavior Therapy
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.