The A-B-C-D Model Basics
(name it and explain it)
(name it and explain it)
What does the "A" in the A-B-C-D model stand for?
Activating Event
The situation/event that triggers anger
What are the physical and emotional cues in this scenario?
You’re driving to an important appointment, and someone cuts you off in traffic. You honk your horn, but they gesture rudely at you. Your heart starts racing, and you feel furious.
Physical cues—racing heart, clenched fists. Emotional cues—feeling disrespected, furious.
Is this a rational or irrational belief
"People should always treat me fairly."
Irrational
We cannot control the actions or thoughts of others. It would be nice if everyone thought that way. But only you can control you
What is the alternative technique to the "A-B-C-D" model?
The thought stopping model
Describe an immediate payoff vs long term consequence (can define or give an example)
*answers may vary* Gist: immediate payoff is the result of the anger response, but the long term consequence is the what happens after the fact (negative)
What does the "B" in the A-B-C-D model stand for?
Beliefs
The thoughts or interpretations about the event
What is the "C"
You’re at a family gathering, and your sibling makes a joke about a mistake you made in the past. Everyone laughs, but you feel embarrassed and angry.
Consequences
Feelings of embarrassment
How can disputing irrational beliefs help manage anger?
It reduces the intensity of anger by replacing irrational thoughts with rational ones. Helps prevent that build up
What is thought stopping?
A technique to interrupt and stop angry thoughts.
Explain the difference between Anger, Aggression, and Hostility
Anger: the emotion
Aggression: the action
Hostility: the thought
What does the "C" in the A-B-C-D model stand for?
Consequences
The thoughts or interpretations about the event
What is the Activating "A" event(s)?
You’re at the grocery store, and the cashier takes a long time to ring up your items. The person behind you in line starts sighing loudly and commenting, "Can you hurry up?"
The cashier taking a long time
and/or
The person behind you making comments/sighing
Describe a "should" statement that can lead to anger
Things should go my way
Why do we use thought stopping?
It prevents angry thoughts from escalating into aggressive behavior.
Hoe many cues to anger are there? give an example
4: Examples may vary
Physical (HR/BP increase)
Emotional (underlying belief)
Cognitive (thoughts about a situation)
Behavioral (slamming doors)
What does the "D" in the A-B-C-D model stand for
Dispute
Identifying maladaptive beliefs and disputing them with more rational or realistic examples
Describe a rational vs irrational belief "B"
You’re at home, and your spouse forgets to do something they promised, like picking up groceries. When you bring it up, they say, "I was busy. You could have done it yourself." You feel frustrated and unappreciated.
Rational: Something must have happened in their day that caused them to forget
Irrational: They obviously don't care about me enough to communicate
How can you dispute the belief, "I must always be in control"?
*answer may vary* general gist: "I can’t control everything, and that’s okay."
Why might you use thought stopping over the A-B-C-D model
-immediate vs reflective
-short-term vs long-term
-"simple" vs "complex"
Name 3 coping skills for anger management
*answers will vary*
What is the core idea behind this model
What could be a Dispute to challenge negative beliefs?
You’re at work, and your supervisor criticizes a project you worked hard on. They say, "This isn’t good enough. You need to do better." You feel hurt and defensive.
Change the perspective. They're not saying you're not good enough, they're not firing you. They're giving you feedback to help you improve
What is a rational belief you can use to replace, "Life should be fair"?
*answers may vary* general gist: "Life isn’t always fair, but I can handle challenges as they come."
Different scenarios may require different methods
In any of the sessions you've attended, tell me 3 things you've learned
Answers will vary