Rational emotive behavior therapy
Historical perspective
REBT was originally called the rational therapy and was established in the year 1955 by Albert Ellis (Rob, 2001). It was later revised to rational emotive therapy in the year 1959 then to rational emotive behavior therapy in 1992. As a result of the reputation of Albert on sexual and marital relationship problems, he discovered that he could help other individual with emotional and behavioral problems (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). It is a psychotherapeutic system of theory and Practices and a school of thought which was originally called rational therapy, it changed to rational emotive therapy and later to rational emotive behavior. REBT was one of the first of the cognitive behavior therapies that were predicated in articles Ellis first published in 1956. REBT is one of cognitive behavioral therapies developed separately which have similarities with cognitive therapy developed by psychiatrist Aaron Beck (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). REBT has changed and developed over the past century
Theories of REBT
Rational emotive behavior is not only a set of technical process but it also includes a comprehensive theory of the human behavior with regards to the changes in the environment (Rob, 2001). The therapy process is also a biopsychosocial process which is the understanding of biological, psychological and social changes of an individual in the response to certain stimuli. In the fundamental premises of REBT, humans emotion and behavioral theories is that almost all human emotion and behaviors are the result of what people think, assume or believe and also about situation they face. REBT (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). However, he argued that a person biology affects their feelings and behaviors in addition their are limitation to how far a human being can change according to theory of change human does not get upset by unfortunate adversities, but also in constructing their views of reality in their own language, in different beliefs meanings and philosophies about the world, themselves and others. They usually learn and begin to apply this need by learning the A-B-C-model of psychological disturbance and change, where by A, represent activating event that contributes to disturbed and dysfunctional emotional and behavioral C represents emotion and behaviors that follow from those evaluative beliefs consequences, B represent behaviors that follow from this inference or believe. A, adversity can be either both an external or internal event or satiation, and it sometimes refer to an event (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996)
in the past, presents, beliefs are most important in the A-B-C model and are philosophical meanings and assumptions about events, personal desires, and preferences (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). Bs, beliefs consist of highly evaluative and of interrelated and integrated cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects and dimensions. But according to REBT, it state that if a persons evaluative B, belief about the A, activating event is rigid, absolutistic and dysfunctional, the C, consequence emotional and behavioral is likely to be self-defeating and destructive, alternatively, if a persons evaluative B, belief is flexible and constructive, the C, the emotional and behavioral consequence is likely to be self-helping and constructive (Rob, 2001). By understanding the role of their mediating, evaluative and philosophically based illogical, unrealistic and self-defeating meanings, interpretations and assumptions in upset, through REBT people often can learn to identify them, begin to D, which mean dispute, refute, challenge and question them and distinguish them from healthy constructs, and subscribe to more constructive and self-helping constructs (Rob, 2001). Its framework assumes that humans have both social-helping and constructive and also social defeating and un-helpful habit and leanings (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). It also claims that people to a large extend cause emotional difficulties such as self-blame, self-pity, clinical anger, hurt, guilt, shame, depression and anxiety, and behaviors and behavior habits like procrastination, over-compulsiveness, avoidance, addiction and withdrawal by the means of their irrational and self-defeating thinking, emotion and behaving.
REBT is applied as an educational processes where by therapist often actively or defectively teaches the client on how to identify irrational and self-defeating beliefs and philosophies (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). These in nature are very strong, extreme, unrealistic, illogical and absolutist, which in turn actively question and dispute them and replace them with ones which are self helping. By using different cognitive, emotive and behavioral methods and activities, the therapist can help the client, to gain a more rational, self-helping and constructive rational way of thinking, emoting and behaving (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). The main objectives in REBT is to show the client that whenever unpleasant and unfortunate activating events occur in peoples lives, they can have another way of making themselves feel healthily and self-helpingly sorry, disappointed, frustrated, and annoyed, or making themselves feel unhealthily and self-defeating horrified, terrified, panicked, depressed, self-hating, and self-pitying (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). By attaining and ingraining a more rational and self-constructive philosophy of themselves, others and the world, people often are more likely to behave and emote in more life-serving and adaptive ways.
Insight 1 is where People see and accept the reality that their emotional disturbances at point C and also activating events or adversities at point A that precede C. Although A contributes to C (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). There are strong negative which are much more likely to be followed by disturbed Cs than they are to be followed by weak the main direct cores of extreme and dysfunctional emotional disturbances (Cs) are where peoples irrational beliefs, people strong believe about their undesirable activating events are attributed and accompanied by inferences in their absolutistic certainty (Ellis, Dryden, 1997).
Insight 2 state that it does not matter how, when, and why people acquire beliefs which are the main cause of their dysfunctional emotional-behavioral consequence (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996). They tend to hold irrational belief and continue confusing themselves with these thoughts, not because they held them in the past, but because they still actively hold them in the present, though often in their minds and hearts they still follow the core philosophies they adopted or invented long ago (Palmer, S. Burton, 1996).
Insight 3 this state that no matter how well they have achieved insight 1 and 2, insight alone will by fewer chances make people forget their emotional disturbances They may feel better when one knows, or thinks how they became disturbed because insights can give the impression of being useful and curative (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). But, unless they accept insights 1 and 2, and then also go on to strongly apply insight 3 they will actually get better in reality there is no way one can get better and stay better unless by doing continual work and practice in looking and finding, ones core irrational beliefs actively, energetically, and scientifically disputing them replacing ones absolutist musts with flexible preferences changing ones unhealthy feelings to healthy, self-helping emotions and firmly acting against ones dysfunctional fears and compulsions. one can significantly remove this behavior by a combing cognitive, emotive, and behavioral, as well as a quite persistent and forceful attack on ones serious emotional problems (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). REBT assumes that human thinking, emotion, and action are not really separate or disparate processes, but they all significantly overlap and are rarely experienced in a pure state emotions and behaviors significantly influence and affect thinking, just as thinking influences emotions and behaviors. Evaluating is a fundamental characteristic of human organisms and seems to work in a kind of closed circuit with a feedback mechanism
Theory of causation
This theory seeks to explain the combination of biological, psychological and social factors that are involved in the way individuals feel and behave (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). It explains that most of the human emotions and behaviors is as a result of what the individuals think, assume or belief about themselves, other people and the world in general. The theory claims that what causes the changes in emotions and behavior are what people believe about the situations they face that will determine how they feel and behave and not the direct situation itself (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). It also argues that the biology of an individual will determine their feelings and behavior. The Ellis ABC model illustrates the roles of cognitions. A is used to represent an event or experienced and the individuals interpretation, B represents the belief that follows the interpretation and C represents the emotions and behaviors that accompany the evaluation of the beliefs. An example is An individual meets a friend but the friend did not notice him or her, then he believes that the friend has deliberately assumed him and concludes that he or she is unacceptable to friends (Ellis, Dryden, 1997).
Theory of change
This theory seeks to explain the changes an individual goes through as a result of the perceptions and believes that follows an event or experience (Olevitch, 1995). For instance, one might believe that he or she is not wanted in a given environment he therefore goes and changes his or her daily routine including eating habits, exercising and even the entire lifestyle in order to feel comfortable. An individual might also avoid contact with somebody he thinks he dislikes
Applications of REBT
The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy has always been used to help individuals with a wide range of clinical and non clinical problems using a diverse range of modalities. People with mental disorders that affect their response to the environment have been successfully helped as a result of this therapy process (Ellis, Dryden, 1997). The clinical applications of this therapy involves enabling people suffering from depression to behave normally and happier. Moreover, people with anxiety disorders which include obsessive compulsive disorders, agoraphobia, phobias and post traumatic disorders as a result of sexual abuse, accidence or adjustment to chronic health problems, physical disability and mental disorders have been treated as a result of the systematic process of this therapy. It is also important to note that people with behavior problems like violence, sexual behavioral problems can be assisted by the use of this therapy (Froggat, 2005).
Non clinical applications include helping individual to cope with the changes in the environment and personal growth (Olevitch, 1995). The therapy contains certain detailed and systematic principles like enlightened self interest, self acceptance and risk taking. This process enables individuals to develop and act on a more efficient and functional philosophy of life. It also enables individuals in workplace to be more pro active and effective (Dryden, 2001). The rational effectiveness training has been widely used in workplace organizations.
The process of therapy
When dealing with individual with emotional and behavioral problems, it is imperative for a therapist to have the standardized systematic process in order to handle the situation effectively and efficiently (Wilde, 1995). The first in process of therapy is by engaging client to build a relationship and this can be achieved by using the core condition of empathy, warmth and respect. In most instances, an individual with this problem may engage in secondary disturbance like self downing over having problem about coming to the therapist (Froggat, 2005). It is also possibly the best way for engaging the client for REBT to demonstrate that change is possible and that REBT is able to assist them achieve where goals. The second step of the therapy is by accessing person with this disorder and the situations that varies from person to person (Misc. 2004). These can achieve by client viewing what is wrong for them especially by checking for any secondary disturbance and does the client feels about this problem then carry out general assessment by determining the presence of any clinical disorders, obtain a personal and social history accesses the severity of the problem, note any relevant personality factor, and check for any non psychological causative factors, physical condition, medication, substance abuse, and finally the environmental factors (Wilde, 1995). The third step is preparing the client for therapy by clarifying treatment goals and by ensuring that these are or to know what the problem is that is specific and agreed by both the client and therapist (Froggat, 2005). Then assess the clients motivation to change, also you introduced client to discussion about the basis of REBT including the biopsychosocial model of causation and also the approaches to be used and implications of treatment then develop a contract (Dryden, Neenan, 2005). Fourthly by implementing the treatment program and this occur in implementation phased by using activities such as analyzing specific episodes where target problem occur ascertaining belief involved, changing them and developing home work (Ellis, et al 1975).
It is also imperative to develop behavioral assignments in order to modify and improve way of behavior of an individual (Ellis, et al 1975). Other supplementary strategies like relaxation training are also important when dealing with an individual with emotional and behavioral problems. The fifth one is evaluating the progress of the client towards the end of intervention to check whether there are improvement as a result of the significant changes in the client thinking and their external circumstances. Sixth one is by preparing the client for termination to setbacks because many people after a period of wellness think that they are cured for life (Froggat, 2005). Consequently, when they slip back and discover the past problems are still present to some extend they are likely to give up working on themselves (Ellis, et al 1975). Warn this scenario occurs, it is likely for many individuals with emotional and behavioral problems and ensure that they know what to do when symptoms comes back. It is also important to discuss their views on asking for help if needed if needed in future and deal with any irrational beliefs about coming back like l should be cured for ever (Wilde, 1995).
Research foundation section
REBT and CBT in general have a substantial and strong research base that verify and support the efficiency psychotherapeutic and theoretical underpinnings (Ellis, et al 1975). Scientific empirical studies have proven that REBT is an effective and efficient treatment for different kinds of psychopathology, conditions and problems, where by REBT and CBT are supported effectively by vast amount of outcome- and experimental studies. Randomized clinical trials about REBT have offered a positive view on the efficacy of REBT (Miller, 2002). Theory investigation in the field of psychotherapy and a large amount of clinical experience and other body of modern psychological research have allowed and come up with many of REBTs theoretical assumptions on personality and psychotherapy where some critiques have been given on some of the clinical research done on REBT from within and by others. For instance Albert Ellis emphasized on the difficulty and complexity of measuring effectiveness of psychotherapeutic (Dryden, Neenan, 2005). This is because many studies only tend to measure whether clients feel better after therapy instead of getting and staying better. Ellis also argued with other clinician about misunderstanding misconstrued in research and in general about the REBT theory (Ellis, 2001). Some have criticized REBT for being harsh, formulaic and failing to address deep underlying problems. REBT theorist who has pointed out that studying of REBT carefully shows that it is philosophically deep, humanistic and individualized collaboratively by working on the basis of the clients point of reference (Ellis, 2001). They further pointed out that emotive experiential, interrelated and methodology of cognitive and behavioral intervention utilizes REBT integration. While others question REBTs view about rationality, radical constructivists who have claimed that reason and logic are subjective properties and those who believe that reason can be objectively determined (Miller, 2002). REBT theorists about objections to clients irrational choices and conclusions as a working hypothesis and through collaborative efforts that demonstrate the irrationality on practical, functional and social consensual grounds was refuted because of rise of claims maintaining REBT (Dryden, Neenan, 2005).
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment