Tinku has been undergoing Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). Identify the correct sequence of the therapeutic process:
(A) Negative emotions and behaviours as consequences of the antecedent event are identified and noted
(B) Client's irrational beliefs which are distorting present reality are identified
(C) Antecedent events which caused psychological distress are noted
(D) The irrational beliefs are refuted by the therapist through non-directive questioning
(E) Eventually, the client is able to replace the irrational beliefs with the rational ones.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (C), (B), (A), (D), (E)
The first step in Albert Ellis’s RET is the antecedent-belief-consequence (ABC) analysis, taken in that order; then the beliefs are challenged.
(C) Antecedent events which caused psychological distress are noted — A: the antecedent events come first.
(B) Client’s irrational beliefs which are distorting present reality are identified — B: the client is interviewed to find the irrational beliefs, thoughts with ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’.
(A) Negative emotions and behaviours as consequences of the antecedent event are identified and noted — C: the distorted perception of the event leads to the consequence, negative emotions and behaviours.
(D) The irrational beliefs are refuted by the therapist through non-directive questioning — after the analysis, the therapist refutes the beliefs through gentle, non-directive questioning that makes the client think deeper.
(E) Eventually, the client is able to replace the irrational beliefs with the rational ones. — finally the rational belief system replaces the irrational one and the distress comes down.
NCERT (2025-26): “Cognitive Therapies … Albert Ellis formulated the Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). The central thesis of this therapy is that irrational beliefs mediate between the antecedent events and their consequences. The first step in RET is the antecedent-belief-consequence (ABC) analysis. Antecedent events, which caused the psychological distress, are noted. The client is also interviewed to find the irrational beliefs, which are distorting the present reality. Irrational beliefs may not be supported by empirical evidence in the environment. These beliefs are characterised by thoughts with ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’, i.e. things ‘must’ and ‘should’ be in a particular manner. Examples of irrational beliefs are, ‘One should be loved by everybody all the time’, ‘Human misery is caused by external events over which one does not have any control’, etc. This distorted perception of the antecedent event due to the irrational belief leads to the consequence, i.e. negative emotions and behaviours. Irrational beliefs are assessed through questionnaires and interviews. In the process of RET, the irrational beliefs are refuted by the therapist through a process of non-directive questioning. The nature of questioning is gentle, without probing or being directive. The questions make the client to think deeper into her/his assumptions about life and problems. Gradually the client is able to change the irrational beliefs by making a change in her/his philosophy about life. The rational belief system replaces the irrational belief system and there is a reduction in psychological distress.…” |