BEHAVIOR THEORY CAN FORTIFY SOCIAL CASEWORK BY PROVIDING PRACTICAL LINKS BETWEEN THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE CLIENT IN DISTRESS, THE DELINEATION OF CLINICAL GOALS, THE FORMULATION OF PLANS OF INTERVENTION, AND THE MEASUREMENT OF OUTCOME. THESE BASIC ASSUMPTIONS IN THE BEHAVIORAL APPROACH ARE IMPLICIT IN THE STRUCTURE TREATMENT--(1) ALL SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED AND CAN BE MODIFIED, (2) ALL PSYCHOTHERAPIES INVOLVE A TEACHING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE, AND (3) A MORE DELIBERATE APPLICATION OF LEARNING PRINCIPLES TO PSYCHOTHERAPY WOULD YIELD MORE EFFECTIVE RESULTS. AT THE OUTSET OF THERAPY, A CONTRACT IS FORMED AND GOALS SELECTED. THE THERAPIST DEVELOPS A TREATMENT PLAN, EXPLAINS ITS RATIONALE, AND MANAGES THE HIGHLY STRUCTURED THERAPEUTIC INTERCHANGE. BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT OF STIMULI AND RESPONSES IS MADE OF DIRECTLY RELEVANT AND OBSERVABLE DATA. THE BEHAVIOR THERAPIST USES RESPONDENT AND/OR OPERANT THERAPY TO ALTER THE ENVIRONMENT AND/OR RESPONSES TO STIMULI. A CASE IS DESCRIBED TO ILLUSTRATE THIS APPROACH. TECHNIQUES OF BEHAVIOR THERAPY MIGHT BE EXTENDED TO UNMOTIVATED, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED CLIENTS, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND CLIENTS IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS AND CHILD GUIDANCE AGENCIES. EVERY AREA OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR MAY BE MODIFIED BY APPLICATION OF LEARNING PRINCIPLES. (PR)