Abstract
Markedly different profiles on the Jones Irrational Beliefs Test (IBT) were obtained from a sample of mental health professionals, of clients in psychotherapy, and of women college students, and the differences were clearly interpretable. In a second study those with high (more irrational) scores on each scale were compared with those with low (more rational) scores on indicators of physical (psychosomatic) illness. On five of the scales as well as for the total score the more irrational groups had significantly more physical symptoms of illness. And, finally, tension headache frequency was found to be related to the total IBT score.
It is argued that these findings offer further evidence for the validity of the IBT, and its use in research and clinical practice is encouraged. A reporting booklet for bibliotherapy use with clients is described.
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Paul J. Woods, Ph.D., co-editor of this journal, is an associate fellow of the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy, a professor of psychology at Hollins College, and is engaged in private practice in Roanoke, Virginia.
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Woods, P.J. Further indications on the validity and usefulness of the Jones Irrational Beliefs Test. J Rational-Emot Cognitive-Behav Ther 2, 3–6 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02281204
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02281204