Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Examining the Effects of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on the Irrational Beliefs of Blue-Chip Professionals

  • Published:
Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The extant literature reveals a scarcity of research applying rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) in business settings. Against the backdrop of severe market conditions and inevitable involuntary job loss, the application of psychological interventions to reduce mental and physical health issues is highly pertinent and potentially valuable. This paper reports the effects of an intensive REBT programme on the irrational beliefs of staff undergoing redundancy from a Blue-Chip organisation. A repeated-measures single-group intervention design was adopted so that changes in irrational beliefs could be assessed over the course of the REBT programme. Results indicated significant reductions in total irrational beliefs, other-depreciation, need for achievement, and demand for fairness from pretest to posttest phases. Social validation data indicated perceived psychological and performance benefits. Results are discussed with reference to mechanisms of change, study limitations, and applied research issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barker, J. B., McCarthy, P. J., Jones, M. V., & Moran, A. (2011). Single-case research methods in sport and exercise psychology. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beale, N., & Nethercott, S. (1985). Job-loss and family morbidity: A study of factory closure. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 35, 510–514.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Billy Connolly receives arts honour (2001, July 11). In BBC.com. Retrieved September 14, 2014 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1433873.stm.

  • Brockner, J. (1988). The effects of work layoffs on survivors: Research, theory and practise. In B. M. Staw & L. L. Cummings (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior (pp. 213–255). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

  • Brockner, J., Grover, S., Reed, T. F., & DeWitt, R. L. (1992). Layoffs, job insecurity and survivors’ work effort: Evidence of an inverted U relationship. Academy of Management Journal, 35(2), 413–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browne, C. M., Dowd, E. T., & Freeman, A. (2010). Rational and irrational beliefs and psychopathology. In D. David, S. J. Lynn, & A. Ellis (Eds.), Rational and irrational beliefs in human functioning and disturbances: Implications for research, theory, and practice. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, F., Worrall, L., Cooper, C. (2000). The psychological effects of downsizing and privatisation. Wolverhampton Business School Management Research Center Working Paper WP001/00. University of Wolverhampton.

  • Catalano, R. (1991). The health effects of economic insecurity. American Journal of Public Health, 81(9), 1148–1152.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, R. (1978). The effect of employment status change on self-attitudes. Social Psychology, 41, 81–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Criddle, W. D. (2007a). Adapting REBT to the world of business. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, 25(2), 87–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Criddle, W. D. (2007b). The transition from therapist to executive coach. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, 25(2), 121–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David, O. A., & Matu, S. A. (2013). How to tell if managers are good coaches and how to help them improve during adversity? The managerial coaching assessment system and the rational managerial coaching program. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, 13(2a), 259–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • David, D., Schnur, J., & Belliou, A. (2002). Another search for the hot cognitions: Appraisal, irrational beliefs, attributions, and their relation to emotion. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, 20, 83–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • David, A. R., & Szamoskozi, S. (2011a). A meta-analytical study on the effects of cognitive behavioral techniques for reducing distress in organizations. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, 11(2), 221–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • David, A. R., & Szamoskozi, S. (2011b). Cognitive behavioral coaching: development and testing of an intervention program, a theoretical and practical approach for organizational environment. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoc, Romania.

  • 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 & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 23, 175–221. doi:10.1007/s10942-005-0011-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dekker, W. A., & Schaufeli, W. B. (1995). The effects of job insecurity on psychological health and withdrawal: A longitudinal study. Australian Psychalogist, 30, 57–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiMattia, D. (1990). Rational effectiveness training: Increasing productivity at work. New York: Institute for Rational Emotive Therapy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dryden, W. (2009). How to think and intervene like an REBT therapist. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dryden, W. (2012). The “ABCs” of REBT I: A preliminary study of errors and confusions in counselling and psychotherapy textbooks. Journal of Rational and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 30, 133–172. doi:10.1007/s10942-011-0137-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dryden, W., & Branch, R. (2008). The fundamentals of rational-emotive behavior therapy. West Sussex: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1957). Rational psychotherapy and individual psychology. Journal of Individual Psychology, 13, 38–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A., David, D., & Lynn, S. (2010). A historical and conceptual perspective. In D. David, S. J. Lynn, & A. Ellis (Eds.), Rational and irrational beliefs in human functioning and disturbances. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A., & Dryden, W. (1997). The practice of rational-emotive behavior therapy. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A., Gordon, J., Neenan, M., & Palmer, S. (1997). Stress counselling: A rational emotive behavior approach. London: Cassell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engles, G. I., Garnefski, N., & Diekstra, F. W. (1993). Efficacy of rational-emotive therapy: A quantitative analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(6), 1083–1090.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, A., Slater, M. J., Turner, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2013). Using personal-disclosure and mutual-sharing to enhance group functioning in a professional soccer academy. The Sport Psychologist, 27(3), 233–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaviţa, O. A., & Duţă, T. (2013). The employee rational and irrational beliefs scale: Preliminary validation. Transylvanian Journal of Psychology, 14(1), 19–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, J. E., Nelson, J. R., Gutkin, T. B., Saunders, A., Galloway, A., & Shwery, C. S. (2004). Rational-emotive therapy with children and adolescence: A meta-analysis. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 12(4), 222–235. doi:10.1177/10634266040120040301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, S. B., & Salkind, N. J. (2008). Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and understanding data (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grieger, R. (2007). One REBTers model for business consulting. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 25, 107–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaney, C. A., Israel, B. A., & House, J. S. (1994). Chronic job insecurity among automobile workers: Effects on job satisfaction and health. Social Science and Medicine, 38, 1431–1437.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hyland, P., & Boduszek, D. (2012). A unitary or binary model of emotions: A discussion on a fundamental difference between cognitive therapy and rational emotive behavior therapy. Journal of Humanistics and Social Sciences, 1(1), 49–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joelson, L., & Wahlquist, L. (1987). The psychological meaning of job insecurity and job loss: Results of a longitudinal study. Social Science and Medicine, 25, 179–182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keselman, H. J., Games, P. A., & Rogan, J. C. (1979). Protecting the overall rate of Type I errors for pairwise comparisons with an omnibus test statistic. Psychological Bulletin, 86(4), 884–888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leana, C. R., & Feldman, D. C. (1988). Individual responses to job loss: Perceptions, reactions, and coping behaviors. Journal of Management, 14, 375–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindner, H., Kirkby, R., Wertheim, E., & Birch, P. (1999). A brief assessment of irrational thinking: The shortened general attitude and belief scale. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 23, 651–663. doi:10.1023/A:1018741009293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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. doi:10.1016/0272-7358(91)90113-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacInnes, D. (2003). Evaluating an assessment scale of irrational beliefs for people with mental health problems. Nurse Researcher, 10, 53–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, D. (2003). Overcoming self-esteem. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved August 17, 2014 from http://davidmills.net/index_files/Overcoming-Self-Esteem.pdf

  • Page, J., & Thelwell, R. (2013). The value of social validation in single-case methods in sport and exercise psychology. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 25, 61–71. doi:10.1080/10413200.2012.663859.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, S., & Gyllensten, K. (2008). How cognitive behavioural, rational emotive behavioural or multimodal coaching could prevent mental health problems, enhance performance and reduce work related stress. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 26, 38–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penkower, L., Bromet, E. J., & Dew, M. A. (1988). Husbands’ layoff and wives’ mental health: A prospective analysis. Archives of General Psychiatry, 45(11), 994–1000.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Popov, B., & Popov, S. (2013). Adverse working conditions, job insecurity and occupational stress: The role of (ir)rational beliefs. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 31, 27–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price, R. H., Choi, J. N., & Vinokur, D. A. (2002). Links in the chain of diversity following job loss: How financial strain and loss of personal control lead to depression, impaired functioning, and poor health. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 7, 302–312.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi experimental designs for generalized causal inference (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. (2011). Research methods in accounting (2nd ed.). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Ritterband, L. M., Sydeman, S. J., Reheiser, E. C., & Unger, K. K. (1995). Assessment of emotional states and personality traits: Measuring psychological vital things. In N. J. Butcher (Ed.), Clinical personality assessment: Practical approaches (pp. 42–58). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • 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. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2014). Using rational-emotive behavior therapy with athletes. The Sport Psychologist, 28(1), 75–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, M. J., Slater, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2014a). Not the end of the world: The effects of rational emotive behavior therapy on the irrational beliefs of elite academy athletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 26(2), 144–156. doi:10.1080/10413200.2013.812159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turner, M. J., Slater, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2014b). The season-long effects of rational emotive behavior therapy on the irrational beliefs of professional academy soccer athletes. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 5.

  • Van Sell, M., Brief, A. P., & Schuler, R. (1981). Role conflict and ambiguity: Integration of the literature and directions for future research. Human Relations, 34, 262–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warr, P. B. (1987). Work, unemployment and mental health. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yukleson, D. P. (2010). Communicating effectively. In J. M. Williams (Ed.), Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (6th ed., pp. 149–165). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sport, Health, and Exercise Research, Staffordshire University, Brindley Building, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DF, Staffordshire, UK

    Martin J. Turner & Jamie B. Barker

Authors
  1. Martin J. Turner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jamie B. Barker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin J. Turner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Turner, M.J., Barker, J.B. Examining the Effects of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) on the Irrational Beliefs of Blue-Chip Professionals. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 33, 17–36 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0200-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0200-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation