Abstract
The theory of REBT was developed by Ellis (1962, 1994), being seen by many in the field as the first form of CBT (e.g., Hollon & DiGiuseppe, 2010) and as a major contributor to the cognitive revolution in psychology and psychotherapy (David, 2015). First labeled Rational Therapy, it was renamed Rational Emotive Therapy before receiving the current name: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (David, 2015). In a personal communication to one of the chapter’s authors (Dr. David), Albert Ellis (2005) would have liked to finally name it Cognitive Affective Behavior Therapy.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Barlow, D. H. (2004). Psychological treatments. American Psychologist, 59, 869–878. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.9.869
Barlow, J., Coren, E., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2003). Parent-training programmes for improving maternal psychosocial health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, CD002020.
Bernard, M. E., Froh, J. J., DiGiuseppe, R., Joyce, M. R., & Dryden, W. (2010). Albert Ellis: Unsung hero of positive psychology. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 302–310. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2010.498622
Bond, F. W., & Dryden, W. (1996). Testing an REBT theory: The effects of rational beliefs, irrational beliefs, and their control or certainty contents on the functionality of interferences: II. In a personal context. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 1(1), 55–77.
Bond, F. W., & Dryden, W. (1997). Testing an REBT theory: The effects of rational beliefs, irrational beliefs, and their control or certainty contents on the functionality of inferences: I. In a social context. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 15(2), 157–188. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025042522741
Bond, F. W., & Dryden, W. (2000). How rational beliefs and irrational beliefs affect people’s inferences: An experimental investigation. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 28(1), 33–43.
Buschmann, T., Horn, R. A., Blankenship, V. R., Garcia, Y. E., & Bohan, K. B. (2017). The relationship between automatic thoughts and irrational beliefs predicting anxiety and depression. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-017-0278-y
David, D. (2003). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): The view of a cognitive psychologist. In W. Dryden (Ed.), Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy: Theoretical developments (pp. 130–159). New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
David, D. (2014). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. In D. S. Dunn (Ed.), Oxford bibliographies in psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
David, D. (2015). In R. L. Cautin & S. O. Lilienfeld (Eds.),. The encyclopedia of clinical psychology Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp077
David, D., Coteț, C., Matu, S., Mogoașe, C., & Ștefan, S. (2017). 50 years of Rational-Emotive And Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22514
David, D., & Cramer, D. (2010). Rational and irrational beliefs in human feelings and psychophysiology. In D. David, S. J. Lynn, & A. Ellis (Eds.), Rational and Irrational Beliefs in Human Functioning and Disturbances (pp. 99–112). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
David, D., & Montgomery, G. H. (2011). The scientific status of psychotherapies: A new evaluative framework for evidence-based psychosocial interventions. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 18(2), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.2011.01239.x
David, D., Schnur, J., & Belloiu, A. (2002). Another search for the “hot” cognitions: Appraisal, irrational beliefs, attributions, and their relation to emotion. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 20(2), 93–131.
David, D., Schnur, J., & Birk, J. (2004). Functional and dysfunctional emotions in Ellis’ cognitive theory: An empirical analysis. Cognition and Emotion, 18, 869–880. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930341000185
David, D., Szentagotai, A., Eva, K., & Macavei, B. (2005). A synopsis of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT): Fundamental and applied research. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 23(3), 175–221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-005-0011-0
David, D., Szentagotai, A., Lupu, V., & Cosman, D. (2008). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and medication in the treatment of major depressive disorder: A randomized clinical trial, posttreatment outcomes, and six-month follow-up. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64, 728–746. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20487
DiGiuseppe, R., Miller, N. J., & Trexler, L. D. (1977). A review of Rational Emotive psychotherapy studies. The Counseling Psychologist, 7, 64–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/001100007700700109
DiLorenzo, T. A., David, D., & Montgomery, G. H. (2007). The interrelations between irrational cognitive processes and distress in stressful academic settings. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(4), 765–776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.08.022
DiLorenzo, T. A., David, D., & Montgomery, G. H. (2011). The impact of general and specific rational and irrational beliefs on exam distress: A further investigation of the binary model of emotional distress as an emotional regulation model. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapies, 11, 121–142.
Dryden, W., & David, D. (2008). Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy: Current status. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 22(3), 195–209. https://doi.org/10.1891/0889-8391.22.3.195
Dryden, W., Ferguson, J., & Clark, T. (1989). Beliefs and inferences: A test of a rational-emotive hypothesis: I. Performing in an academic seminar. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 7(3), 119–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076184
Dryden, W., Ferguson, J., & McTeague, S. (1989). Beliefs and inferences: A test of a rational-emotive hypothesis: II. On the prospect of seeing a spider. Psychological Reports, 64(1), 115–123. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1989.64.1.115
Eckhardt, C. I., Barbour, K. A., & Davidson, G. C. (1998). Articulated thoughts of maritally violent and non-violent men during anger arousal. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.66.2.259
Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. Oxford, UK: Lyle Stuart.
Ellis, A. (1994). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy (Rev Sub ed.). Secaucus, NJ: Citadel.
Ellis, A., & Harper, R. A. (1975). A new guide to rational living. North Hollywood, CA: Wilshire.
Emmelkamp, P. M., & Beens, H. (1991). Cognitive Therapy with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A comparative evaluation. Behavior Research and Therapy, 29, 293–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(91)90120-R
Engels, G. I., Garnefsky, N., & Diekstra, R. F. (1993). Efficacy of Rational-Emotive Therapy: A quantitative analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 1083–1090. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.61.6.1083
Gaviţa, O. A., David, D., Bujoreanu, S., Tiba, A., & Ionuţiu, D. (2012). The efficacy of a short cognitive-behavioral parent program in the treatment of externalizing behavior disorders in Romanian foster care children: Building parental emotion-regulation through unconditional self- and child-acceptance strategies. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(2), 1290–1297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.03.001
Gaviţa, O. A., David, D., DiGiuseppe, R., & DelVecchio, T. (2011). The development and validation of the Parent Rational and Irrational Beliefs Scale. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 2305–2311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.449
Goldfried, M. R., & Sobocinski, D. (1975). Effect of irrational beliefs on emotional arousal. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43(4), 504. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0076787
Gonzalez, J. E., Nelson, J. R., Gutkin, T. B., Saunders, A., Galloway, A., & Shwery, C. S. (2004). Rational Emotive Therapy with children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 12, 222–235.
Greaves, D. (1997). The Effect of Rational-Emotive Parent Education on the stress of mothers of children with Down syndrome. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 15, 249–267. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025063425172
Haaga, D. A. F., & Davidson, G. C. (1989a). Slow progress in Rational-Emotive Therapy outcome research: Etiology and treatment. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 13, 493–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173908
Haaga, D. A. F., & Davidson, G. C. (1989b). Outcome studies of rational emotive therapy. In M. E. Bernard & R. DiGiuseppe (Eds.), Inside Rational-Emotive Therapy: A critical appraisal of the theory and therapy of Albert Ellis (pp. 155–260). New York, NY: Academic.
Hollon, S. D., & Digiuseppe, R. (2010). Cognitive psychotherapies. History of psychotherapy: Continuity and change (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Hyland, P., Maguire, R., Shevlin, M., & Boduszek, D. (2014). Rational beliefs as cognitive protective factors against posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 32(4), 297–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0195-2
Hyland, P., Shevlin, M., Adamson, G., & Boduszek, D. (2014a). The organization of irrational beliefs in posttraumatic stress symptomology: Testing the predictions of REBT theory using structural equation modelling. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70(1), 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22009
Hyland, P., Shevlin, M., Adamson, G., & Boduszek, D. (2014b). The moderating role of rational beliefs in the relationship between irrational beliefs and posttraumatic stress symptomology. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 42(3), 312–326. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465813000064
Iftene, F., Predescu, E., Stefan, S., & David, D. (2015). Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (REBT/CBT) versus pharmacotherapy versus REBT/CBT plus pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder in youth: A randomized clinical trial. Psychiatry Research, 225(3), 687–694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2014.11.021
Joyce, M. R. (1995). Emotional relief for parents: Is Rational-Emotive Parent Education effective? Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 13, 55–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02354557
Lyons, L. C., & Woods, P. J. (1991). The Efficacy of Rational Emotive Therapy: A quantitative review of the outcome research. Clinical Psychology Review, 11, 357–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-7358(91)90113-9
Macaskill, N. D., & Macaskill, A. (1996). Rational-Emotive Therapy plus pharmacotherapy versus pharmacotherapy alone in the treatment of high cognitive dysfunction depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 20(6), 575–592. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02227962
McDuff, A. C., & Dryden, W. (1998). REBT and emotion: I. A role-play experiment using a shame/disappointment scenario to investigate the effects of rational, irrational and indifference beliefs on inferences and action tendencies. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 16(4), 235–254. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024912518928
Meaden, A., Keen, N., Aston, R., Barton, K., & Bucci, S. (2013). Cognitive Therapy for command hallucinations. London, UK: Routledge.
Mersch, P. P., Emmelkamp, P. M., Bogels, S. M., & van der Sleen, J. (1989). Social phobia: Individual response patterns and the effects of behavioral and cognitive interventions. Behavior Research and Therapy, 27, 421–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(89)90013-2
Montgomery, G. H., David, D., DiLorenzo, T. A., & Schnur, J. B. (2007). Response expectancies and irrational beliefs predict exam-related distress. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 25(1), 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-006-0029-y
Montgomery, G. H., David, D., Kangas, M., Green, S., Sucala, M., Bovbjerg, D. H., … Schnur, J. B. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy plus hypnosis intervention to control fatigue in patients undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 32(6), 557–563. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2013.49.3437
Ogbuanya, T. C., Eseadi, C., Orji, C. T., Ohanu, I. B., Bakare, J., & Ede, M. O. (2017). Effects of Rational Emotive Behavior Coaching on occupational stress and work ability among electronics workshop instructors in Nigeria. Medicine, 96(19), e6891. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000006891
Oltean, H. R., & David, D. (2018). A meta-analysis of the relationship between rational beliefs and psychological distress. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74, 883.
Oltean, H. R., Hyland, P., Vallières, F., & David, D. O. (2017). An empirical assessment of REBT models of psychopathology and psychological health in the prediction of anxiety and depression symptoms. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465817000133
Onyechi, K. C. N., Onuigbo, L. N., Eseadi, C., Ikechukwu-Ilomuanya, A. B., Nwaubani, O. O., Umoke, P. C., … Utoh-Ofong, A. N. (2016). Effects of Rational-Emotive Hospice Care Therapy on problematic assumptions, death anxiety, and psychological distress in a sample of cancer patients and their family caregivers in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(9), 929. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13090929
Papageorgiou, C., Panagiotakos, D. B., Pitsavos, C., Tsetsekou, E., Kontoangelos, K., Stefanadis, C., & Soldatos, C. (2006). Association between plasma inflammatory markers and irrational beliefs: The ATTICA epidemiological study. Progress in Neuro Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 30, 1496–1503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.05.018
Sælid, G. A., & Nordahl, H. M. (2017). Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in high schools to educate in mental health and empower youth health: A randomized controlled study of a brief intervention. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 46(3), 196–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2016.1233453
Sava, F., Yates, B., Lupu, V., Szentagotai, A., & David, D. (2009). Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of Cognitive Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, And Fluoxetine (Prozac) in treating depression: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65, 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20550
Schnur, J. B., David, D., Kangas, M., Green, S., Bovbjerg, D. M., & Montgomery, G. M. (2009). A randomized trial of a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and hypnosis intervention on positive and negative affect during breast cancer radiotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65, 443–455. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20559
Şoflău, R., & David, D. O. (2017). A meta-analytical approach of the relationships between the irrationality of beliefs and the functionality of automatic thoughts. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 41(2), 178–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9812-y
Szentagotai, A., & David, D. (2013). Self-acceptance and happiness. In M. Bernard (Ed.), The strength of self-acceptance (pp. 121–137). New York, NY: Springer.
Szentagotai, A., David, D., Lupu, V., & Cosman, D. (2008). Rational Emotive Therapy, Cognitive Therapy, and medication in the treatment of major depressive disorder: Theory of change analysis. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, and Practice, 4, 523–538. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20487
Szentagotai, A., & Freeman, A. (2007). An analysis of the relationship between irrational beliefs and automatic thought in predicting distress. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, 7(1), 1–9.
Szentagotai, A., & Jones, J. (2010). The behavioral consequences of irrational beliefs. In D. David, S. J. Lynn, & A. Ellis (Eds.), Rational and irrational beliefs in human functioning and disturbances (pp. 75–97). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Terjesen, M. D., Salhany, J., & Sciutto, M. J. (2009). A psychometric review of measures of irrational beliefs: Implications for psychotherapy. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 27(2), 83–96. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-009-0093-1
Tiba, A., & Szentagotai, A. (2005). Positive emotions and irrational beliefs: Dysfunctional positive emotions in healthy individuals. Journal of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapies, 5, 53–72.
Trip, S., Vernon, A., & McMahon, J. (2007). Effectiveness of Rational-Emotive Education: A quantitative meta-analytical study. Journal of Cognitive & Behavioral Psychotherapies, 7(1), 81–93.
Ugwoke, S. C., Eseadi, C., Igbokwe, C. C., Chiaha, G. T., Nwaubani, O. O., Orji, C. T., … Onu, E. A. (2017). Effects of a Rational-Emotive Health Education Intervention on stress management and irrational beliefs among technical college teachers in Southeast Nigeria. Medicine, 96(31), e7658. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000007658
Vîslă, A., Cristea, I. A., Tătar, A. S., & David, D. (2013). Core beliefs, automatic thoughts and response expectancies in predicting public speaking anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 55(7), 856–859. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.06.003
Vîslă, A., Flückiger, C., Grosse Holtforth, M., & David, D. (2016). Irrational beliefs and psychological distress: A meta-analysis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 85(1), 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1159/000441231
Vîslă, A., Grosse Holtforth, M., & David, D. (2015). Descriptive/inferential cognitive processes and evaluative cognitive processes: Relationships among each other and with emotional distress. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 33(2), 148–159.
Wessler, R. L. (1982). Varieties of cognitions in the cognitively-oriented psychotherapies. Rational Living, 17, 3–10.
Woods, P. J., & Lyons, L. C. (1990). Irrational beliefs and psychosomatic disorders. Journal of Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 8, 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01072091
Zettle, R. D., & Hayes, S. C. (1980). Conceptual and empirical status of Rational-Emotive Therapy. Progress in Behaviour Modification, 9, 125–166.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
David, D.O., Sucală, M., Coteț, C., Șoflău, R., Vălenaș, S. (2019). Empirical Research in REBT Theory and Practice. In: Bernard, M.E., Dryden, W. (eds) Advances in REBT. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93118-0_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93118-0_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-93117-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-93118-0
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)