Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Behavior change
Introduction
Behavior change refers to any transformation or modification of human behavior. Such changes can occur intentionally, through behavior modification, without intention, or change rapidly in situations of mental illness.
Unintentional and rapid behavior change
Unintentional and rapid behavior change
Rapid changes in behavior patterns may be a sign of mental illness requiring emergency psychiatric intervention.[1] Symptoms of such changes may include panic attacks, extreme agitation, violence, or other destructive outbursts.[1]
Behavior modification
Behavior modification
Behavior modification is a technique of altering an individual’s behaviors and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior and/or the extinction of maladaptive behavior through positive and negative punishment.