Reality Therapy - Applications

Applications

In education, reality therapy can be used as a basis for the school's classroom management plan. Reality therapy has been shown to be effective in improving underachieving junior high school students' internal perception of control. Their internal perception of control refers to their locus of control being internal or external. Reality therapy can be used to help school psychologists improve students with emotional and behavioral disturbances. Cynthia Palmer Mason and Jill Duba, professors at Western Kentucky University, have proposed reality therapy techniques be applied to school counseling programs. They propose using reality therapy methods will help school counselors develop positive therapeutic relationships and improve students' self esteem.

Reality therapy has also been found effective with improving the self concept of elementary school students. Many at risk and alternative schools across the nation have implemented reality therapy techniques and methods to improve school functioning and the learning and social environment. Other areas of application have been used in athletic coaching, childhood obesity, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Ken Klug has looked at different coaching techniques and has found that many successful coaches use some aspects of reality therapy. According to Klug, reality therapy in coaching helps build relationships, a healthy teaching environment and brings a definitive purpose to goal setting. Reality therapy can also be used to prevent or control childhood obesity. It is suggested that applied reality therapy methods may help children evaluate their eating behaviors, set realistic goals and integrate effective self evaluation. Sheryl Prenzlau, a social worker in Israel, has found empirical evidence to suggest that reality therapy can reduce somatization and rumination behaviors associated with PTSD.

For more information, visit WikEd Reality Therapy