Disputing irrational beliefs in REBT can lead to what outcome?

• A. Reducing distress and improving functioning
• B. Increasing distress
• C. No change
• D. Worsening symptoms

Answer: (A)

Disputing irrational beliefs in REBT reduces distress and improves functioning because this therapy treats the beliefs that fuel emotional upset, not the events themselves. In REBT, emotional reactions come from rigid, absolutist beliefs (like “I must not fail,” or “Things must go my way”). By actively disputing these beliefs—checking them against evidence, logic, and practical outcomes—the client learns to adopt more flexible, realistic beliefs. This shift in thinking changes the emotional and behavioral responses to life events, leading to less distress and better functioning overall.

If beliefs aren’t challenged, distress tends to persist; beliefs that remain rigid can keep emotional and behavioral problems ongoing, and the idea that disputing would worsen symptoms doesn’t fit the REBT mechanism.