The Effects of Rational Emotive Education on Locus of Control, Rationality and Anxiety in Primary School Children

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of rational emotive education (REE) on locus of control, rationality and anxiety in order to evaluate REE's potential in promoting the psychological adjustment and growth of Year 4 primary school children. Individual differences in the external-internal dimension of locus of control were considered a possible predictor of intervention outcome. The sample consisted of two regular Year 4 classes in a private girls school in metropolitan Melbourne which were randomly assigned to either REE or attention control condition. Results indicated that REE was effective in increasing children's perception of internal control and rationality and that program effectiveness in increasing children's rationality was not associated with their pre-intervention locus of control orientation. No evidence was found for REE's efficacy in producing significant changes in trait anxiety.