Habit Reversal Training, also known as HRT, is a behavioral treatment approach designed to address unwanted impulsive behaviors. These behaviors can include hair-pulling, skin-picking, nail-biting, and others. HRT has shown to be effective in reducing these behaviors in both youth and adults.
What does treatment using HRT look like?
HRT consists of various components, including:
- Awareness Training – individuals develop greater awareness of the target behavior, including situational factors and triggering events that may increase the likelihood of the behavior.
- Competing Response Training – clients work with the therapist to learn strategies and behaviors that are incompatible with the target behavior that they can engage in during times when they would typically engage in the target behavior.
- Contingency Management – clients are taught to reward themselves for meeting their goals and build motivation around ongoing practice. This is especially helpful in working with young children.
- Generalization Training – individuals work with their therapists to practice the competing response in a number of situations until this becomes more routine.
Can HRT be used to address tics and Tourette’s?
Yes – HRT has been shown to provide improvements in symptoms of Tourette’s and other tic disorders. A form of HRT, called Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) was developed to specifically target tics through the same strategies involved in HRT. During treatment, individuals are taught to identify a “premonitory urge” or a feeling that they have in their body immediately before they experience a tic. They then work with their therapist to identify competing responses and practice using these strategies when they experience this premonitory urge. The goal of CBIT is to provide clients with strategies and tools to better understand and manage their tics.