Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

 

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is a psychotherapy approach developed by psychologist Albert Ellis. It focuses on helping individuals challenge their irrational beliefs and learn how to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a healthier, more realistic way.

 Here are some key points about REBT:

Theory and History: REBT was created in the 1950s by Albert Ellis and is considered one of the pioneering cognitive-behavioral therapies. It helps clients learn to challenge their own irrational thinking and develop the habit of thinking in beneficial and rational ways.

 

Core Principles

Choice: REBT hypothesizes that people have the capacity for rational choice in how they conduct their lives and can change themselves considerably.

Thinking, Feeling, and Behavior: REBT views thinking, feeling, and behavior as linked and influencing one another. This is a familiar triad sometimes presented as Cognition, Affect, and Behavior (CAB) or in the SCOPES model as Cognition, Emotion, and Observed behavior (CEO).

Philosophical Emphasis: REBT encourages clients to adopt the core philosophies of unconditional self-acceptance, unconditional other-acceptance, and unconditional life-acceptance.

Therapeutic Focus: Changing one's thinking is usually the primary focus of therapy, along with encouraging the adoption of rational thinking patterns.

Effectiveness: REBT has an empirical basis for its effectiveness and has evolved over the years to refine its theory and practice.

David et al. (2021) published results of a study involving 349 patients between 2007 and 2016. Data analysis revealed a medium effect size. Patient improvements after 3 and 20 sessions were significant.

Model: REBT was referred to as an ABC theory where A = Activating Event, B = Belief about the A event, and C = Consequences. The expanded model includes letters DE (ABCDE) where D = Disputation of irrational beliefs about the A event and E = an effective new philosophy. The process suggests how we disturb ourselves and how we can undisturb ourselves.

The focus on changing cognitions and behavior in REBT is similar to the general model of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) originally formulated by Beck.

Related Posts

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SCOPES Model

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

My review of A New Guide to Rational Living by Ellis & Harper

 References

David, O. A., Cîmpean, A., Costescu, C., DiGiuseppe, R., Doyle, K., Hickey, M., & David, D. (2021). Effectiveness of Outpatient Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Over One Decade. American journal of psychotherapy, 74(4), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20200009

Ellis, A., & Ellis, D. J. (2011). Rational emotive behavior therapy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Ellis, A., & Joffe Ellis, D. (2019). Rational emotive behavior therapy (2nd ed.). Washington, DC:  American Psychological Association.

 

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