Skip to main content
Log in

The Third Therapeutic Revolution: Behavioral Medicine

  • Published:
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Behavioral medicine—and one of its progenitors, biofeedback—are expanding as the Third Therapeutic Revolution, supplementing surgery and pharmacology in treating human illnesses. Parallel development of nonscience-based therapies is a part of the same revolution. Labeling their positive results as “placebo effects” hides a greater truth: faith and trust play an enormous role in therapy. The successes of both behavioral medicine and unorthodox complementary medicine are the result of thedebonafide effect(my Latin for “from good faith”). Readers are urged to adopt this better definition of the “unexplicable” and substantial good results of both the placebos in research and the ministration of unorthodox treatments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bernard, C. (1961). An introduction to the study of experimental medicine. (H. C. Copley, Trans. ). New York: Collier Books-Library of Science. (Original work published 1865)

    Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian, J. V. (1962). Muscles alive:Their functions revealed by electromyography. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian, J. V. (1973). Super GA Dantrolene sodium in the treatment of spasticity. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 54, 60–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian, J. V. (1978). Cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride effect on skeletal muscle spasm in the lumbar region and neck:Two double-blind controlled clinical studies. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 59, 58-63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian, J. V. (1999). Debonafide effects vs. placebo effects. Proceedings, Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.

  • Basmajian, J. V, & Banerjee, S. N. (Eds.). (1996). Clinical decision-making in rehabilitation:Efficacy and outcomes. New York: Churchill Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basmajian, J. V., Kukulka, C. G., Narayan, M. G., & Takebe, K. (1973). Biofeedback treatment of foot drop after stroke compared with standard rehabilitation technique: Effects on voluntary control and strength. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 54, 60-64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cram, J. R., & Kasman, G. S. (1997). Introduction to surface electromyography, Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasman, G. S., Cram, J. R., & Wolf, S. L. (1997). Clinical applications in surface electromyography. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, A. H., Kewman, D. G., Mercier, L., & Hovell, M. (1993). The power of non-specific effects in healing: Implications for psychosocial and biological treatments. Clinical Psychology Review, 13, 375-391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, G. E., & Weiss, S. M. (1978). Yale conference on behavior medicine:A proposed definition and statement of goals. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 1, 3-12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaprio, D. (1979). Biofeedback and behavioral medicine in perspective. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 4, 371-381.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Basmajian, J.V. The Third Therapeutic Revolution: Behavioral Medicine. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 24, 107–116 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022222327161

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022222327161

Navigation