Abstract

LIPP, Marilda Emmanuel Novaes; PEREIRA, Márcia Bignotto  and  SADIR, Maria Angélica. Irrational beliefs as internal source of emotional stress. Rev. bras.ter. cogn. [online]. 2005, vol.1, n.1, pp. 29-34. ISSN 1808-5687.

This study had the objective of analyzing in a sample of 86 adults, of both genders, the presence of irrational beliefs and its correlation to the participants’ stress level, gender, age and civil status. The instruments used were the Irrational Beliefs Questionnaire and the Stress Symptom Inventory. Data was analyzed by means of Spearmen moment correlation coefficient. A significant correlation was found between the number of irrational beliefs held and stress level (r=0,7376, p=0,0001) and age of the participants (r=0,2782, p=0,0095). The irrational belief most frequently mentioned by the female participants was “it is a terrible catastrophe when things are not as one wants them to be”. “One must be perfectly competent, adequate, and achieving to consider oneself worthwhile” was the belief most mentioned by the male participants. Results were seen as offering support to the hypothesis that irrational beliefs may act as internal stressors, and that stress management training must include modification of irrational beliefs in the treatment of emotional stress. Guidelines for such treatment are offered in the article. It was concluded that attention to the presence of irrational beliefs must be given at an early age, such as in childhood, as a measure to prevent stress in adult years.

Keywords : Stress; Irrational beliefs; Internal stressors.