According to REBT, rational therapy posits that...

• A. Feelings govern thoughts.
• B. Thoughts govern feelings and behaviors.
• C. Thoughts govern feelings.
• D. Behaviors govern feelings and thoughts.

Answer: (B)

In REBT, emotional distress comes from how we interpret events, not from the events themselves. Our beliefs about an activating situation shape both our feelings and our actions. When we hold rational beliefs, our emotional and behavioral responses fit the situation; when we hold irrational beliefs, distress and maladaptive behavior follow. Because thoughts drive both how we feel and how we behave, the statement that thoughts govern feelings and behaviors best captures REBT’s approach. For example, a student who believes “I must be perfect in everything” may feel overwhelming fear or anger and withdraw, whereas challenging that belief can lessen both the emotional pain and the problematic behavior. The other ideas either reverse the direction of influence or omit the behavioral impact, which is central to REBT.