ABC MODEL
What does the A stand for in ABC model?
Activating Event
Which is more rational?
A. “Everyone must approve of me.”
B. “I prefer people to approve of me, but I can tolerate disapproval.”
B. It expresses a preference rather than a rigid demand.
What does REBT stand for?
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
A person says,
“I have to stay sober perfectly or I'm a failure.”
Is this rational or irrational thinking?
Irrational. It contains a rigid demand and global self-rating.
What does the B stand for in ABC model?
Beliefs
Which irrational belief is shown by:
“I must never make mistakes.”
Demandingness — a rigid “must” or “should” belief.
What is one major goal of REBT?
Identify, challenge, and replace irrational beliefs with more rational and effective beliefs.
A person says,
“I really want my family to trust me, but I can work on rebuilding trust even if it takes time.”
Is this a preference or a demand?
Preference. They strongly want trust but aren't saying it absolutely must happen immediately.
What does the C stand for in ABC model
Consequences
Which irrational belief is shown by:
“This is the worst thing that could ever happen!”
Awfulizing/catastrophizing — viewing something as much worse than it actually is.
Who developed REBT?
Albert Ellis.
A client says,
“I can't handle cravings.”
What REBT concept could be challenged?
Low frustration tolerance.
True or False: REBT says the event itself always directly causes our emotional reaction.
False. REBT emphasizes that our beliefs about the event influence our emotional and behavioral consequences.
Which irrational belief is shown by:
“I can't stand being uncomfortable.”
Low frustration tolerance — believing that discomfort is unbearable or cannot be tolerated.
What is disputation in REBT?
Questioning and challenging irrational or unhelpful beliefs.
Replace this statement:
“I must never feel uncomfortable in recovery.”
“I strongly prefer to be comfortable, but discomfort is part of recovery, and I can tolerate it.”
Someone receives a text saying, “We need to talk.” They immediately think, “Something terrible has happened.” What part of the ABC model is that thought?
Belief. It is the person's interpretation of the activating event.
Which irrational belief is shown by:
“I made a bad choice, so I am a bad person.”
Global rating/self-downing. The person is rating their entire worth based on one behavior.
Name one question you could use to dispute an irrational belief.
Why can changing beliefs be useful in recovery?
Changing rigid or irrational beliefs can help people manage difficult emotions, tolerate discomfort, make healthier choices, and respond to situations without automatically returning to unhealthy behaviors.