Beck's cognitive therapy differs from REBT in that dysfunctional ideas are too absolute and broad but not necessarily irrational.

Beck's cognitive therapy differs from REBT in that dysfunctional ideas are too absolute and broad but not necessarily irrational.

• A. True
• B. Sometimes
• C. Not sure
• D. False

Answer: (A)

Beck's cognitive therapy focuses on how automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions shape mood. These thoughts often come out in an all-or-nothing or overgeneralized way—too absolute and broad—yet they aren’t necessarily irrational in the strict sense. In Beckian CBT, the emphasis is on identifying these distortions (like dichotomous thinking or overgeneralization) and testing them against evidence, rather than labeling beliefs as wholly irrational. This differs from REBT, which centers on beliefs being fundamentally irrational and rigid (must/should demands) and aims to dispute that irrationality directly. So the idea that dysfunctional ideas are overly absolute and broad fits Beck’s view: they distort reality and contribute to distress, but they aren’t automatically deemed irrational; they’re distortions that can be evaluated and revised through collaborative, evidence-based questioning.

Beck's cognitive therapy focuses on how automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions shape mood. These thoughts often come out in an all-or-nothing or overgeneralized way—too absolute and broad—yet they aren’t necessarily irrational in the strict sense. In Beckian CBT, the emphasis is on identifying these distortions (like dichotomous thinking or overgeneralization) and testing them against evidence, rather than labeling beliefs as wholly irrational. This differs from REBT, which centers on beliefs being fundamentally irrational and rigid (must/should demands) and aims to dispute that irrationality directly. So the idea that dysfunctional ideas are overly absolute and broad fits Beck’s view: they distort reality and contribute to distress, but they aren’t automatically deemed irrational; they’re distortions that can be evaluated and revised through collaborative, evidence-based questioning.