Abstract
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) was originated by Albert Ellis in 1955 and, as such, it can be regarded as the first approach within the cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) tradition. People often ask what the differences are between REBT and CBT, but this is not a fair question as it would involve a comparison between a therapy approach (specific) with a therapy tradition (general), a bit like asking what the difference is between an apple (a specific fruit) and fruit (the general category). A fairer question would be: ‘What are the features of REBT that make it distinctive within the CBT tradition and within the wider field of psychotherapy?’ This chapter is devoted to answering this question. A word before we start. While some of the features discussed here are unique to REBT, others are not; but all these features taken together represent the distinctiveness of REBT.
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Notes
- 1.
Other REBT scholars may give a higher rating towards the irrationality end of the continuum given the ease in which people think irrationally.
- 2.
Other REBT scholars may give a ‘6’ towards the constitutionalism end of the continuum (rather than a ‘7’ in recognitition of there being a learned-cultural component to irrational beliefs.
- 3.
While Ellis more frequently referred to rigid beliefs as absolute, he also used the term ‘rigid to refer to these primary irrational beliefs (Ellis & Joffe Ellis, 2011).
- 4.
For research evidence on this and other points made in this chapter, see Chap. 5, this volume.
- 5.
See Chap. 7 on ‘REBT and the Working Alliance’, this volume.
- 6.
I refer to these doubts, reservations and objections here as DROs.
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Dryden, W. (2019). The Distinctive Features of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. In: Bernard, M.E., Dryden, W. (eds) Advances in REBT. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93118-0_2
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