Technology, Theory, and the Alleviation of Human Suffering: We Still Have Such a Long Way to Go

Behavior therapy promised more adequate behavior change technologies through scientific validation, more adequate theories of behavior change, and widespread social betterment and alleviation of human suffering. The promise of scientific validation has been fulfilled, but the technical and theoretical progressivity of the field is still limited due to an emphasis on empirical method over an understanding of change processes. Creating widespread alleviation of suffering will require more attention to technical and theoretical progressivity and the practical demands of the health care system.