Who focused on irrational thinking in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy?

• A. Albert Ellis with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.
• B. Aaron Beck.
• C. Donald Meichenbaum.
• D. Albert Bandura.

Answer: (A)

The focus here is recognizing and disputing irrational thinking that drives emotional distress in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Albert Ellis developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, which centers on identifying irrational beliefs—often rigid, absolutist “musts,” shoulds, and catastrophizing thoughts—and disputing them to replace with more rational, adaptive beliefs. The ABC model (Activating event, Beliefs, Consequences) shows how beliefs about events—not the events themselves—shape emotions, and therapy trains you to challenge and reframes these beliefs in practical ways.

Other CBT thinkers contributed important pieces: Aaron Beck emphasized identifying and restructuring cognitive distortions and automatic thoughts; Donald Meichenbaum developed self-instructional training and stress inoculation; Albert Bandura highlighted social learning and self-efficacy. Yet the explicit focus on irrational beliefs as the central mechanism is what Ellis's REBT emphasizes.