One of the main tools used in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), developed by the late psychologist Albert Ellis, Ph.D., is the ABC model. In particular, this technique was designed to help people stop disturbing themselves with use of unhelpful beliefs.
Specifically, this tool 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 create unpleasant cognitive, emotive, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.
Notably, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people use: demandingness, awfulizing, low frustration tolerance, and global evaluations. Addressing these, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unhelpful assumptions in order to explore Effective new beliefs.
From a psychological standpoint, people disturb 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’s no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.
As an example, if when standing next to a river and presenting a ring while proposing marriage to someone, the individual throws the piece of jewelry into the water (Action), the ring may become irretrievably lost (Consequence).
From the perspective of an A-C connection, small items which are tossed into large bodies of water may not be retrievable. Still, if you unhelpfully Believe about the event, “That shouldn’t have happened,” then you’ll likely disturb yourself into a sorrowful disposition (Consequence).
Thus, the ABC model assists by helping people to stop upsetting themselves through use of B-C connections, though this self-help modality can’t fully resolve A-C connections. Also, it’s worth noting that aside from A-C and B-C connections, one goal of the ABC model is to use the Effective (new belief)-Consequence (E-C) connection.
For instance, in Ellis’ book Creative Marriage (1961), coauthored by the late psychologist Robert A. Harper, Ph.D., the authors use a case study regarding martial dissatisfaction. Prefacing the example, the authors state (page 13):
Most couples who enter marriage today expect two main things from their relationship: regular sex satisfaction and the enjoyments of secure and intimate companionship and love.
When person X maintains rigid demands in an intimate partner relationship and person Y doesn’t abide these inflexible requirements (A-C), person X may self-disturb with use of unhelpful beliefs (B-C). This is where practice of the ABC model may come in handy.
In REBT, the Action and the Consequence aren’t subject to rational challenge. The situation of persons X and Y isn’t up for debate. The occurrence actually happened and to argue otherwise would represent a form of delusion or denial.
Likewise, the outcome of person X’s unproductive assumption isn’t the subject of deliberation. Feelings (emotions and bodily sensations) and behaviors which were consequential to unfavorable self-narratives are real. So there’s no need to delude oneself or deny the existence of such outcomes.
Thus, Disputation of irrational attitudes is done with the aim of rendering an Effective new belief. Whereas the initial self-disturbing assumption led to an unpleasant outcome, use of an Effective new belief can be substituted for that narrative and lead to a reasonable Consequence.
In Creative Marriage, the authors describe a man who apparently withholds sexual satisfaction and meaningful affection regarding his wife. Illustrating the E-C connection, the authors conclude (page 17):
If you, because of your changed attitudes, no longer think of her as a bitch who is depriving you of your ‘just’ and ‘natural’ husbandly due, but as a woman who is perhaps doing her best, under very difficult and sexually-deprived circumstances, to come to terms with you and the children, then you will want to be nice to her.
Here, the husband is encouraged to consider personal responsibility and accountability for his role in the martial relationship, accept that the only control he has in the matter is in regard to his response to the undesirable event, and to use a perspective shift pertaining to his wife.
Using this E-C connection, one imagines that the man is able to tolerate and accept the fact that he plays a key role in marital dissatisfaction. Rather than an unproductive B-C connection that may result in an unhealthy negative emotion, the E-C connection may result in mere annoyance.
Instead of upsetting himself with unfavorable assumptions, the featured husband may be annoyed by pragmatic beliefs about how he can’t always receive everything he wants in his marriage. With a healthy negative emotion such as annoyance, the man can then be nicer to his spouse.
After all, one presumes the husband has been annoyed in relation to beliefs about his children at some point. Does he love them any less when experiencing this emotive condition? Imagining that the answer is no, what then could be done when a person experiences annoyance?
Typically, people seek resolution to matters which they find annoying. Therefore, when the man alters his attitude (belief), which leads to annoyance, he can then target annoyance with a behavioral shift. In Creative Marriage, the man is invited to deliberately be nicer to his spouse.
Practice of this improved behavioral outcome, using the E-C connection, may resolve the husband’s complaint over the passage of time and with committed practice of REBT tools. In fact, the authors express that it took the man in the case study time to reach this resolution.
Ultimately, change doesn’t always occur overnight. Nevertheless, with dedicated use of the ABC model – specifically the E-C connection – a person may begin to experience rational living. If you’d like to know more about how use of REBT tools may benefit you, I’m here to help.
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
Photo credit (edited), fair use
References:
AEI. (n.d.). About Albert Ellis, Ph.D. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved from https://albertellis.org/about-albert-ellis-phd/
APA PsychNet. (2004). Robert A. Harper (1915-2004). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0003-066X.59.6.562
Ellis, A. and Harper, R. A. (1961). Creative Marriage. The Institute For Rational Living, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/creative-marriage-e184052310.html
Gpointstudio. (n.d.). Man with light bulb above his head [Image]. Freepik. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/man-with-light-bulb-his-head_10676649.htm#fromView=search&page=2&position=32&uuid=cb47e539-1464-42d5-87ca-dbf5146ad395
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Hollings, D. (2022, November 7). Personal ownership. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/personal-ownership
Hollings, D. (2024, July 20). Perspective shift. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perspective-shift
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Hollings, D. (2024, January 4). Rigid vs. rigorous. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rigid-vs-rigorous
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
Hollings, D. (2024, June 5). Self-help. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-help
Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Sensation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/sensation
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Hollings, D. (2022, November 9). The ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-abc-model
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Hollings, D. (2023, February 16). Tna. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/tna
Hollings, D. (2022, July 11). Unconditional acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance
Hollings, D. (2024, March 18). Unhealthy vs. healthy negative emotions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhealthy-vs-healthy-negative-emotions
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