Something irrational about rational emotive psychology.

Suggests that rational emotive therapy (RET) is one of the most philosophically neutral therapies practiced today, but the psychology associated with it is not. The author illustrates some of the logical, conceptual, and philosophical difficulties of the psychology while maintaining the value of RET. It is argued that the concept of self in the psychology is inconsistent and does not provide an adequate conceptual foundation for the therapy. Three hypothetical cases illustrate the theoretical and ethical implications of RET and its self-justification. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of rational emotive therapy on overweight adults.

Therapy based on the rational emotive model (RET) was compared to an attention placebo group and a no-treatment control group in a controlled outcome study with 40 overweight Ss (mean age 37.7 yrs). The dependent measure was decrease in pounds overweight employing a 32 factorial design. Results show differential effects among the treatment groups with the RET group having the greatest reduction in overweight over an extended period of time. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of common concerns about rational–emotive therapy.

Examines some of the more frequent concerns and criticisms about rational–emotive therapy, including issues of relationship factors, emotive aspects, values, religious concerns, and intervention techniques and styles in therapy. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religiously sensitive rational emotive behavior therapy: Elegant solutions and ethical risks.

Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) can be an elegant treatment modality for explicitly religious clients. This is true in spite of the traditional antireligious stance of Albert Ellis. In this article, the authors summarize the evolution of Ellis's views on religion and mental health, consider potential ethical dilemmas caused by utilizing REBT with religious clients, and recommend strategies for reducing violation of ethical and specialty guidelines in work with religious clients. The authors conclude by proposing a general model for religiously sensitive psychotherapy, which may serve to undergird theorizing and research on the application of REBT and other treatment approaches to religious clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Religiously sensitive rational emotive behavior therapy: Theory, techniques, and brief excerpts from a case.

Rational emotive behavior therapy's (REBT's) methods for fostering change, such as disputation of irrational beliefs, are similar to the kinds of activities one may expect to encounter in many organized religions. REBT also bears a strong theoretical affinity with some religions because of its preferred therapeutic goal of helping clients examine and change their beliefs. Furthermore, the formal religious tenets and traditions to which many clients adhere will usually include doctrinal material that is highly congruent with REBT's theory of change. Such belief-oriented material may be enlisted during REBT to help religious clients evaluate and change their self-defeating, irrational beliefs. A case that integrates religious belief with REBT is presented. Finally, the authors conclude with a brief summary of preliminary outcome research regarding the efficacy of this approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why rational-emotive therapy to rational emotive behavior therapy?

Describes the reasoning behind renaming rational-emotive therapy (RET), first introduced in 1955 by the author as rational therapy, to rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). The theory of REBT holds that human disturbance is complicated by biological and environmental factors that exacerbate irrational beliefs. REBT is based on the view that thinking, feeling, and behaving are integrated and holistic processes. The cognitive, emotional, and action techniques of REBT address these processes and also provide therapists with ways of overcoming client resistance. REBT has been a pioneering cognitive-emotive-behavioral therapy, in spite of originally being named rational therapy and RET. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a rational–emotive mental health program on poorly achieving, disruptive high school students.

Examined the effectiveness of a rational–emotive mental health program. 40 11th- and 12th-grade high-risk and failure- and misconduct-prone Black and Hispanic high school students were given 5 wkly sessions of rational–emotive education over a full semester. The dependent measures were GPA, incidents of disruptive behavior, and class cuts. Comparisons were made with alternate treatment and no-treatment controls. There were differential effects among the treatment groups, with the rational–emotive groups showing greatest improvement on all dependent variables over an extended period of time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social science, social psychology, and the National Science Foundation.

The approach of the National Science Foundation to the social sciences is characterized as "exploratory, experimental and pragmatic. The social sciences have been given opportunity to demonstrate concretely their practical role in the solution of operating and policy questions… . This experience with a limited social science program, developing in intimate relationship with the natural sciences, has provided a firm basis for consideration by the Foundation of appropriate next steps in achieving that effective integration of the natural and social sciences which will enhance the contribution of all the sciences to the national well-being." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training for professional psychology: Science, practice, and identity.

The realization of coherence (an orderly world) can occur as a result of personal control (egocentric) or because persons are immersed in a decentralized community system (sociocentric). In this article, effects of the prevailing egocentric metaphor on professional psychology training and identity are described. The positivist empiricist model of science has provided unintentional elaboration of the egocentric metaphor in professional education. Some consequences in professional training are illuminated by what is condoned (power, sexism) as well as by what content is minimized (cross-cultural psychology, primary prevention). The role of values in an expanded vision of human science can provide a basis for implementation of a sociocentric metaphor in professional training and identity confirmation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment theory, childhood mistreatment, and religiosity.

Guided by attachment theory, the authors explore the relationship of verbal, physical, and sexual mistreatment to attachment to God, as well as to concepts of God. Each form of mistreatment was related adversely to the religiosity measures. Attachment to parents mediated the relationship between two maltreatment variables (verbal and physical mistreatment) and attachment to God, as well as the concept of God as loving and as distant. However, attachment to parents did not mediate the relationship between attachment to God and the sexual abuse variable. Sexual abuse was strongly related to difficulties with attachment to God and one's concept of God. The findings add support to the notion, even when childhood mistreatment is taken into account, that a secure attachment to parents provides the necessary context for socialization into religion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On Zookology, counseling psychology, and clinical psychology.

Responds to the comments of A. Zook (see record 1987-20037-001) on the present author's (see record 1986-12878-001) work on the merging of clinical and counseling psychology, suggesting that a training base in remedial, educational/developmental, and preventive functions is important regardless of whether one is a clinical or counseling psychologist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social psychology, experimental psychology and the social psychology of the experiment.

Discusses the recent growth of experimental social psychology which has involved wholesale adoption of classical methodology as conceived by experimental psychology. Paradoxically, research and writings on the "social psychology of the experiment" raise serious questions about certain assumptions implicit in classical methodology, i.e., those concerning the nature of the subject matter and the relationship between E and S. The views of R. Rosenthal, M. T. Orne, and others are discussed in this context and general implications considered in the light of the humanistic movement in American psychology. The general conclusion is that the values and criteria for all experimentation in psychology may be destined to undergo a radical reorientation. (French summary) (32 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Smoking, advertising, and psychology.

J. D. Matarazzo (see record 1982-25842-001) suggested that the substantial increase in adult female smokers between 1955 and 1979 resulted from advertisements carefully crafted with the help of psychologists. The present author, however, argues that there is a more plausible explanation: During the same period, the substantial educational achievement gap between men and women was eliminated, and the attendant changes in living habits and family structure are more easily linked to the use of tobacco than are the effects of advertising promotion. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chaos, self-organization, and psychology.

A variety of investigators in recent years have proposed models of psychological systems based on the concepts of chaos, nonlinear dynamics, and self-organization. Unfortunately, psychologists in general have little understanding of these important ideas. These terms are defined, and their relationships are discussed. The value of applying these concepts to psychological systems is demonstrated by exploring their utility in areas ranging from neuroscience to clinical psychology. Some of the difficulties in using nonlinear concepts and methodologies in empirical investigations are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modernity, postmodernity, and psychology.

Responds to the S. Greer (see record 2001-00625-016), J. D. Raskin (see record 2001-00625-017), and M. Glassman (see record 2001-00625-018) comments on the J. Martin and J. Sugarman (see record 2000-08148-003) discussion on finding the middle ground between modern and postmodern approaches to psychology. All of the critiques are responded to in turn. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Genetics, psychology, and determinism.

Comments on the article by A. F. Patenaude et al (see record 2002-12457-022) that discusses advances in genetics and genetic testing and the role of psychology and psychologists in this field. Patenaude et al's article raises the issue that adequate genetic interventions may provide some benefit for individuals with predispositions for mental disorders to cope with the vulnerability and possibly help reduce the risk of the development of serious psychopathology. However, Kéri thinks that the concretization of such interventions is premature, and several scientific, ethical, and practical issues must be clarified. This position is further discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Values, politics, and psychology.

Comments on H. H. Kendler's positivist critique regarding the role of value in the world of psychology (see record 1999-11644-004). Smith objects to Kendler's interpretation of Smith's justification for a socially activist psychology. He argues that psychologists, as scientists and professionals, have just as much justification as anybody else, and more than many, to enter into democratic controversy about value choices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Existentialism, psychology, and psychotherapy.

The basic elements of existentialism and its relevance to psychology and psychotherapy are considered. "Existentialists are concerned with the meaning of life… . The existential analysts emphasize the study of the experiencing individual. Events are looked at in terms of their meaning for the individual… . In an attempt to get at the patient's inner universe of experience, the existential analyst studies how the phenomenological coordinates of time, space, causality, and materiality are experienced… . Logotherapy focuses upon the search for meaning in human existence." If it is approached as an area representing possible suggestions for further study "existentialism may have much to offer and psychology considerable to gainp" (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Philosophy, psychology, and reality.

Comments on the implications of the discussion of P. T. Manicas and P. F. Secord (see record 1984-00037-001) on psychology and the new philosophy of science. It is suggested that they indicated that (1) the realist approach is coextensive with the new philosophy of science, (2) the version of realism (the transcendental realist approach) put forward by R. Bhaskar (1983) is equivalent to all other forms of realism, and (3) the contentions of the new philosophy of science are not problematic. The present author offers critiques in these areas, although he states that the discussion of Manicas and Secord is worthy of serious attention. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Under what conditions can theoretical psychology survive and prosper? Integrating the rational and empirical epistemologies.

This article reexamines some important issues raised by Greenwald, Pratkanis, Leippe, and Baumgardner (see record 1986-20964-001) concerning the nature of theory and its role in research progress, practical applications of psychological knowledge, strategies for developing and evaluating theories, and relations between empirical and theoretical psychology. I argue that Greenwald et al.'s result-centered methods will not solve problems such as confirmation bias and irreplicability and will aggravate other existing problems: lack of viable theory, fragmentation of the field, mechanical fact gathering, limited applicability of psychological knowledge, and noncumulative development of facts, with needless duplication of results and reinvention of empirical constructs. I conclude that all of these problems are best solved by establishing a balance between the "rational" and "empirical" epistemologies in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)