On Thinking and Feeling Bad: Do CliPnt Problems Derive from a Common Irrationality or Specific

Two studies have reported that low self-esteem is related to the holding of four specific irrational beliefs; further studies have suggested that these and other irrational beliefs are associated with different client problems. This study attempted to replicate the self-esteem findings with a younger population and improved controls and to explore whether other client problems derive from similar or different irrationa] beliefs. High school students (N=90) completed self-report measures of irrational beliefs, self-esteem, depression, facilitative anxiety, debilitative anxiety, neuroticism and extraversion. Teacher ratings of self-esteem behaviors and cumulative grade-point-averages were also obtained. Regression analyses indicated that: (1) demand for approval and anxious overconcern were again found to predict low self-esteem; (2) theoretically-appropriate divergent relationships occurred on the control measures; and (3) low self-esteem and other client problems are characterized by both common and unique sources of irrationality. Overall, these findings seem to indicate that certain irrational beliefs are discriminantly predictive of a variety of clinical problems, including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety and neuroticism. A practical application of these findings would be to tailor a structured cognitive therapy intervention program to target the specific irrationalities associated with the client problem. (Author/ABL) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** On Thinking and Feeling Bad: Do Client Problems Derive From a Common Irrationality Or Specific Irrational Beliefs? Chris D. Erickson, John J. Horan, and Gail Hackett Division of Psychology in Education Arizona State University Running head: THINKING AND FEELING Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, August 18, 1991 Draft: 8/12/91 il1 U.S. DEPArTMENT OF EDUCATION (Mfg ot d.catax* Weseatch and Improvement .T EDUCATIONAL /*SOURCES INFORMATION aNnvia-An PI\ Th,3 document NO tVen reproduc ed as teCITIVed (tom I he porSon or nruanciation onyinahng .1 cMinor changes have been made to improve Og ,normudionguloa, CD0 POInts of view(); op.,,c(m5 stated in this do( Li men! do not riecesSahly represent official CDompos4,,,,,policv C.) BEST COPY AVAILABLE -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY L1M4 /-/),-,7 TO THP EDUCATIONAL RE;;OURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."