Self-Acquired Interventions

Not every intervention in order to change behavior is completed with the help of, carried out by, or organized via a psychologist. In several cases, professional counsel is not sought out in order to change behavior but rather controlled, motivated and reinforced by the individual themselves. This form of intervention administration is called self-administration. The most well-known time for such programs to be applied are during the new year through New Year’s resolutions. By creating New Year’s resolutions, the individual targets specific behaviors in which they plan to modify, reduce or develop. These self-administered interventions are then reinforced, punished, and monitored by the individual who has identified the target behavior in themselves. However, self-administered interventions have both advantages and disadvantages that are variable based partly upon the individual themselves.

In some sense, people who administer interventions on themselves will be far more forthcoming with themselves than to another individual. Also, to carry out a self-administered program, one must have already identified the target behavior and be aware that this behavior is in need of modification (self-awareness). Because the individual is aware of the behavior, they are more apt to make strides to self-motivate, fortifying perseverance to maintain the modification of the target behavior. In addition self-administration is highly cost effective, especially those who lack insurance or referral. From a more personal stand point, self-administration can motivate the individual to further modify other behaviors one they understand that the mind is very powerful when one’s self-control may be harnessed, basically placing all mental and physical body control into full use of the