Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Irrational and Rational Beliefs, and the Mental Health of Athletes

Course overview

The author asserts that one humanistic cognitive-behavioral approach with increasing attention in sport psychology literature is that of Albert Ellis' (1957) Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Like other cognitive behavioral interventions, REBT asserts that it is not events that directly cause emotions and behaviors; instead, it is one's beliefs about the events that lead to emotional and behavioral reactivity. This article provides a literature review to highlight three important areas of investigation that may help apply REBT to the field of sports psychology.