One of the major tools of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is the ABC model which illustrates how when Activating events (“Actions”) occur and people maintain irrational Beliefs about the events, these unhelpful assumptions – and not the actual occurrences – are what cause unpleasant cognitive, emotive, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people use: demandingness, awfulizing, low frustration tolerance, and global evaluations. To illustrate these unhelpful personal philosophies about oneself, others, and life, consider the following information:
Demandingness –
Generally, this rigid form of prescription is expressed through use of should, must, or ought-type narratives. It also presents in the form of have to, gotta, need to, and other derivative varieties of prescriptive demands.
It’s worth noting that not all uses of these terms are unhelpful. For instance, there are productive recommendatory shoulds, empirical shoulds, preferential shoulds, ideal shoulds, moral and ethical shoulds, and legal shoulds which may be quite helpful when used toward oneself.
As an example, because I helpfully believe that it’s morally and ethically wrong to unlawfully take the life of another person, as well as being against the law in the first place, I maintain that I shouldn’t commit criminal homicide. This sort of personal demandingness isn’t unhealthy.
Alternatively, use of absolutistic shoulds and conditional shoulds is how people often disturb themselves. For instance, inflexibly prescribing that other people absolutely must practice REBT is a recipe for self-disturbance.
Awfulizing –
Typically, this type of catastrophizing label is affixed to oneself, others, and life. It presents in the form of unproductively descriptive beliefs which indicate that someone or something is terrible, horrible, or awful.
As an example, rather than concluding that it’s merely an unpleasant experience on a day when most things seem not to go your way, you unfavorably believe that a difficult day is an awful undertaking. Unaccommodating perspective shifts like this can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Low frustration tolerance –
Usually, this form of unhealthy belief appears through use of statements such as “I can’t stand this,” “this is unbearable,” “I can’t abide that,” and other expressions of intolerance and unacceptance. These narratives unhelpfully convince a person of one’s own perceived inability.
Rather than building resilience through use of high frustration tolerance beliefs such as “I got this,” “I can handle it,” or “I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but I’ll try,” an individual illogically and unreasonably (collectively “irrationally”) concludes that failure is inevitable. So, why try?
Global evaluations –
Commonly, this self-disturbing assumption occurs when people irrationally and negatively rate themselves, others, and life in a manner which excludes conflicting information. For instance, claiming that members of an entire political party are deplorable.
Such unproductive rating doesn’t take into account plausible factors to the contrary, such as the possibility that one’s partisan opponents may genuinely love their country and want to see improvement for all citizens on a national scale. That doesn’t sound totally deplorable, does it?
Addressing these major unproductive attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unhelpful assumptions in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Noteworthy, Actions and Consequences aren’t subject to Dispute – only irrational Beliefs receive this type of challenge.
From a psychological standpoint, people upset themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.
As an example, if someone abruptly cuts you off when driving and a pebble kicked up by the other motorist’s tire strikes your windshield (Action), your windshield may crack (Consequence). From an A-C perspective, pebbles moving at a high velocity can crack glass.
Still, if when your windshield is cracked (Action) you unhelpfully Believe, “That shouldn’t have happened to me, and that person is a jerk,” then you’ll likely disturb yourself into an angry disposition (Consequence). Thus, self-disturbance is caused by a B-C connection.
When using REBT, I try to help people stop upsetting themselves through use of B-C connections, though I can’t fully resolve their A-C connections. Although it would be nice if as a psychotherapist I could stop all undesirable experiences, I don’t have that sort of power.
Nevertheless, I can try to help people empower themselves through use of REBT. Uniquely, if there were a mathematical formula for the ABC model, it would be something like:
Action + Belief = Consequence ÷ Disputation = Effective new belief.
Herein, I’ve briefly described how the ABC model works. Of course, depending on the problems people bring to session, use of this helpful tool may take longer to master than what I’ve presented herein.
This is where working with a professional REBT practitioner comes in handy. Likely, a person will receive negotiated homework exercises which can strengthen one’s resolve in the routine practice of REBT – which recommendatorily should occur daily.
If you’d like to know more about the ABC model, I look forward to hearing from you. Also, by clicking the following image link, you’re welcome to a free ABC model handout:
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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