What does REBT aim to change first?

• A. Irrational Thinking
• B. Behavioral Patterns
• C. Environmental Conditions
• D. Genetic Predispositions

Answer: (A)

REBT concentrates on changing irrational thinking first. It holds that emotional distress comes from rigid, irrational beliefs about events, not from the events themselves. By identifying and disputing these beliefs—calling them into question with logical, empirical, and practical challenges—and replacing them with more rational, flexible ones, a person’s emotions and behaviors shift as a downstream effect. The idea is that what you think about an activating event drives your emotional and behavioral responses, so altering the thinking leads to change in how you feel and act. Environmental conditions and genetic predispositions may influence outcomes, but they aren’t the initial target; the starting point is converting irrational thoughts into rational ones, which then changes the rest.