Abstract
In 2010, I undertook a study of a random sample of 20 counseling and psychotherapy textbooks to identify the most common errors and confusions made by the authors of these textbooks regarding the ABCs of REBT. I found a total of 240 errors and confusions, the majority arising from incorrect beliefs at B, particularly about irrational beliefs. A variety of errors and confusions were also made about (1) the relationship between B and C (including whether or not such a relationship is causal), (2) the relationship between irrational beliefs and disturbed responses at C, (3) A, and (4) emotional Cs. Twenty errors were even made about the name of the therapy!
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Notes
- 1.
Epictetus, who is often cited by REBT theorists, claimed that people are disturbed not by things but by their views of things. The REBT version of this is “People are disturbed not by things; rather they disturb themselves by the irrational beliefs that they hold about things.”
- 2.
While catastrophizing is the old-fashioned term for the irrational belief known as “awfulizing,” its pairing with “self-talk” here may be confusing for the reader.
- 3.
It is the words “thinking” and “thoughts” that are the problem here, not the word “irrational.” They are too imprecise.
- 4.
It is the word “statements” here that is again the problem, not the word “irrational.” It is too imprecise.
- 5.
The inclusion of the words “must” and “awful” here do not indicate the presence of an irrational belief. The meaning seems to be that the person thinks that the essay is very bad.
- 6.
Again the presence of the word “must” does not indicate the presence of an irrational belief. The person appears to have a strong conviction that his inference that his boss is out to get him is correct.
- 7.
Since REBT is mainly concerned with irrational beliefs, readers could easily infer that these hot cognitions are, in fact, irrational beliefs.
- 8.
This is more typical of Beck’s cognitive therapy (Wills 2009).
- 9.
I have inserted numbers in this quote to aid comprehension.
- 10.
This is the first irrational belief.
- 11.
This is the second irrational belief.
- 12.
See p. 43 for the difference between awfulizing and catastrophizing.
- 13.
“I just can’t stand it” is the discomfort intolerance belief in this example.
- 14.
In this section, I will discuss this issue with respect to partial and full self-acceptance beliefs. The same points are relevant to partial and full other-acceptance and life-acceptance beliefs.
- 15.
i to iv inserted by me to aid clarity.
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Dryden, W. (2013). How Authors of Counseling and Psychotherapy Textbooks Conceptualize the ABC Framework. In: The ABCs of REBT Revisited. SpringerBriefs in Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5734-3_3
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