Ellis ABC Model

• What did Ellis's ABC modelbelieve?

  • He believed that the way in which they interpret these events is what leads to depressive thoughts and emotions
  • This irrational thinking prevents us from being happy and is explained in the ABC model
• what did ABC stand for?

  1. Activating event

  2. Belief

  3. Consequences
• what is meant by Activating event?


  An event in the environment. These events are everyday obstacles and difficulties that everyone is forced to deal with when interacting with the world.
• Activating event

  • You achieve a lower grade on a test in class
• Rational belief

  • I did not prepare very well for the test.
• what is meant by Consequences?

  The emotional response to the belief. A rational belief leads to healthy emotions. Whereas an irrational belief can lead to unhealthy emotions e.g., depression
• Consequence

  • As you feel a failure for not doing well in your test you have a feeling of worthlessness.
• what was Mustabatory thinking?

  The source of irrational thinking is seen as mustabatory thinking, thinking that certain ideas or assumptions MUST be true in order for an individual to be happy.
• Three most important irrational beliefs identified by Ellis

  • I MUST be approved of or accepted by people I find important.
  • I MUST do very well, or I an worthless.
  • The world MUST give we happiness, or I will die.
• Someone with these irrational beliefs

  Is probably going to feel worthless and depressed in relation to activating events
• Strength of Ellis's ABC model

  • It explains the link between thoughts, emotions and behaviors that are learned
  • It works with the idea that it is our interpretation of activating events that leads to consequences
• This is a strength as it therefore involves cognitive processes and is therefore interventions aimed at changing irrational beliefs can help reduce depression
• This suggests that depression may have a biological basis and that cognitive factors are not the sole influence on depression
• A further limitation is that the ABC model does not account for the role of past experiences in shaping our responses to activating events
• For example, someone who has experienced abuse in the past may have a heightened emotional response and irrational beliefs in response to activating events, even if these are not objectively threatening
• The ABC model therefore does not fully explain the complexity of depression