The
Relationship Between Irrational Beliefs and Depressed Mood in Clinically
Depressed Outpatients
T.P.S. Oei, A.C. Etchells & M.L. Free |
Studies
into the relationship between irrational beliefs and severity of
depression have yielded variable results. Furthermore, there is a
lack of information on the nature of this relationship within clinically
depressed patients. The paper explores the relationship between BDI
scores and individual irrational beliefs as measured by the Irrational
Beliefs Test (IBT) in a clinical outpatient group (N = 63) with major
and minor depressive disorders diagnosed according to Research Diagnostic
Criteria, and in a comparison group of university students (N = 43).
The results of MANOVA analyses showed that the two groups differed
significantly in overall level of irrational beliefs and their endorsement
of 7 out of 10 irrational belief scales. They also differed as to
which irrational belief scale scores were predictive of BDI score.
Findings suggested that several Rational Emotive Therapy constructs
lack explanatory and predictive power with respect to depressive
relationships.
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