Glasser's reality therapy : a critical evaluation

Abstract

This thesis is a critical analysis of the psychotherapeutic method of William Glasser as presented in his book Reality Therapy (1965). Basically the thesis includes a review of Glasser’s general theory of abnormal behavior, a review of his psychotherapeutic method, and an analysis of reality therapy in terms of experimentally established behavioural principles. In the process of analyzing Glasser’s method in terms of these behavioural principles three methods of treating erratic human behavior, which are closely related to Glasser’s reality therapy methods, were examined. The first two were the sociobehavioural techniques of operant conditioning therapy and behaviour therapy; the third was the non-directive therapy of Traux with his three therapist behaviours. It was concluded, after a careful review of relevant literature, that basically reality therapy uses the same principles as operant and behavior therapy. The merit of reality therapy is that there is far less difficulty generalizing behavior change to the outside environment than would be involved in operant therapy methods, as they are now practiced. It would appear that the combination of the experimentally established principles of behavior therapy, with some variation, combined with Glasser’s more “socially normal” application of these principles accounts, in great measure, for the very high rate of success he has reported.