What is the goal of self-monitoring in behavioral interventions?

Self-monitoring in behavioral interventions serves the essential purpose of tracking behaviors and outcomes to promote increased awareness. By encouraging individuals to observe and record their own behaviors, self-monitoring helps them gain insights into their actions, triggers, and patterns. This heightened awareness can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their behavior and recognize their progress over time.

The goal is to facilitate self-regulation, whereby individuals learn to adjust their behaviors based on their observations. This process enhances motivation and fosters personal responsibility, making individuals active participants in their behavior change journey. It also allows for the identification of specific areas that may require further focus or adjustment in their intervention plan.

The other choices do not align with the objectives of self-monitoring. For instance, self-deception about progress undermines the integrity of the self-monitoring process. Continuous feedback from therapists is indeed valuable; however, self-monitoring emphasizes the individual's role in their own assessment. Lastly, while self-monitoring can reduce reliance on external prompts, it does not eliminate the need for external support entirely, especially in the initial stages of skill acquisition.