This document provides information about Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy. REBT aims to help clients identify and dispute irrational beliefs that lead to unhealthy emotions like depression and anxiety. The ABC model used in REBT shows how activating events lead to beliefs that then influence consequences. REBT works to help clients recognize how their irrational thoughts contribute to problems and replace them with more rational beliefs that result in healthier emotions.

1. Cognitive-behavioural therapies

2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
(CBT)
CBT aims to work through the negative
thoughts of clients and helps them to
set new, rational and positive goals.
We shall look at:
• Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy
(REBT)

3. REBT
What disorders tend to be treated using REBT?
Depression and anxiety disorders
Summarise the ABC Model
Activating Events
Unpleasant Events
Beliefs -
We develop explanations of the event, which tend to be
irrational thoughts
Consequences
The result of the beliefs we maintain. They often appear
in the form of anxiety or depression

4. What is it?
• Developed by Albert Ellis who formulated the
ABC model.
• Problems are based up on irrational thinking.
• Self Defeating habits are formulated due to
faulty beliefs.
• Helps a client understand this irrationality and
the consequences of working in such a way.
• Allows substitution of more effective methods.

5. How does it work Process:
Negative
event (A)
Rational Belief
(B)
Healthy
Negative
emotion ©
Negative
event (A)
Irrational
Belief (B)
Unhealthy
Negative
emotion ©

6. How does it work?
• What are the main influence behind our
emotional well being?
• Describe the effect of irrational
beliefs.
• What does REBT aim to do?

7. REBT
Think of another example to demonstrate the ABC
model
 A: Getting a low mark in the first AS exam
 B: Irrational beliefs and thoughts (this means I
will definitely fail A Level Psychology)
 C: Feeling depressed about the future
Break REBT down into key stages
 The patient is persuaded that their beliefs are
irrational (this can be quite confrontational)
 The patient is made aware that they are a large part
of the problem they are facing (i.e. their beliefs lead
to their anxiety)
 Patients are given assignments (homework) which
encourage them to look closely at the effect of their
thought patterns (could be in the form of a journal).
 The patient is taught to replace irrational beliefs
with rational ones.
 Eventually the patient fully takes on board the new
beliefs and integrates these into their life.

8. Challenging Irrational beliefs
• It is not the activating events themselves that
cause unproductive consequences. REBT focuses
on self defeating beliefs that come with them.
• Disputing the beliefs: Logical, empirical, and
Pragmatic.
Task:
• Describe these processes.
• Describe the effect of effective disputing.

9. evaluation
APPROPRIATENESS
• REBT can be used with people
both with and without
mental disturbance.
• It is a positive therapy that
empowers the client.
EFFECTIVENESS
• Ellis (1957) claimed a 90%
success rate for REBT.
• Research shows that CBT is at
least as effective as
chemotherapy (Hollon et al.
1992)
APPROPRIATENESS
• There is evidence that many irrational
thoughts can be quite realistic (Alloy &
Abrahmson, 1979).
• It may not be suitable to those with severe
thought disorders (e.g. Schizophrenia).
EFFECTIVENESS
• The therapy convinces people they can
change situations around them, when this
may not be the case in all situations.
• It doesn’t appear as effective as systematic
desensitization.
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

10. Build your Evaluation pg 197
Strengths
• Effectiveness
• Appropriateness
Weaknesses
• Irrational environments
• Not suitable for all

11. Task
Handout 187