The Impacts of Religious Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (RREBT) on Mental Health: A Comparative Review

Abstract

Mental health affects how individuals deal with stress, communicate with others, and make wise decisions. Rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) principles can be integrated with patients’ religious beliefs and faith to address some mental health issues. The primary goal of this article is to assess the impacts of various forms of religious REBT (RREBT) on patients’ mental health. This research adopted a comparative, scoping literature review method. The findings show that various forms of RREBT exist, but the most frequently used approach is Christian REBT (CREBT), followed by Islamic REBT (IREBT) and Jewish REBT (JREBT). Three studies examined IREBT and reported its significant positive effects in treating posttraumatic stress disorder, negative self-esteem, and family distress and conflict.  Only one study focused on JREBT, demonstrating that it effectively reduced family distress symptoms and marital conflict. The rest of the studies focused on CREBT, and their findings ranged from its significant positive effects in managing emotional distress, panic attacks, avoidance, deficiencies in social communication, binge eating, aggression, depressive symptoms, poor work-life balance, poor quality of family life to symptoms of family distress and marital conflict. These three forms of RREBT have been applied in one study to manage family distress symptoms and marital conflict among couples. Based on evidence from five studies, depression is the most commonly treated mental health disorder by RREBT counselors. Across all studies reviewed, changes in irrational cognitions, irrational beliefs, and automatic negative thoughts were the most common change processes. RREBT clinicians employing any of these approaches in their clinical practice and research are urged to highlight the therapeutic techniques that worked for their clients, how much time it took them to achieve the desired change as well as the mechanisms of change so that future therapists can be able to adapt their procedures for their clients.