Our Memories of Maxie C. Maultsby Jr. 1932–2016 Abstract In this article, the authors present the life and work of Dr. Maxie C. Maultsby, Jr, the most distinguished and influential black psychiatrist, as well as the founder of Rational Behavior Therapy (RBT), a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral therapeutic model. We document the pioneering ideas and concepts formulated by Dr. Maultsby and present RBT as a distinct form of theory-driven cognitive-behavior therapy, grounded in neurophysiology, its singular learning theory, unique concepts, and specific therapeutic techniques. His exceptional idealism of making mass mental health prevention and therapeutic interventions accessible to the underserved populations produced the unparalleled self-help features of RBT, allowing for its effectiveness and lasting results to be attainable to the average person. Dr. Maultsby was innovative in identifying clear criteria for healthy thinking that were empowering, patient-centered, and applicable to all forms of beliefs including spiritual, religious, existential, and deeply philosophical. His thorough knowledge of cognitive neuroscience and its underlying mechanisms of learning and re-learning of emotional habits gave rise to a radical reformulation of existing concepts like the traditional ABC model of emotions. This article is the first in a series about RBT and its founder.

Procrastination and Rational/Irrational Beliefs: A Moderated Mediation Model Abstract The present study focuses on the integrated effect of self-doubt, rational and irrational beliefs, and fear of failure on procrastination in a sample of Turkish undergraduate students (N = 293). The results confirm prior evidence indicating that self-doubt, fear of failure, and rational/irrational beliefs were important predictors of procrastination. The results show that (a) both self-doubt and irrational beliefs have direct and interactive effects on fear of failure, (b) fear of failure mediates the relationship between self-doubt and procrastination, (c) rational beliefs moderated the predictive effect of fear of failure on procrastination, and (d) the indirect effect of self-doubt on procrastination via fear of failure may vary depending on the level of rational and irrational beliefs. These findings suggest that future intervention attempts should focus on modifying irrational beliefs and enhancing rational beliefs to cope with procrastination.

Early Maladaptive Schemas and Cognitive-Behavioral Aspect of Anger: Schema Model Perspective Abstract Anger in Novaco model (in: Monahan, Steadman (eds) Violence and mental disorder: developments in risk assessment, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1994) follows in cognitive, arousal and behavioral dimensions. Considerable research (Anderson and Bushman in Annu Rev Psychol 53(1):27–51, 2002; Dozois et al. in Early maladaptive schemas, styles of humor and aggression, 2013; Huesmann, in: Geen, Donnerstein (eds) Human aggression, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 73–109, 1998) has documented that one’s underlying belief system may influence dispositions toward anger and aggression. The aggressive individuals tend to hold several kinds of elaborate and readily accessible aggression-related cognitions (Gilbert et al. in Crim Justice Behav 40(2):119–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854812467943, 2013). Recognizing the schemas or core beliefs that are associated with anger and aggression would facilitate the therapy for patients with anger and aggression. This study examined the relationships between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), anger, and aggression among 86 adult individuals in Anger therapy group (n = 24), Control group (n = 29) and Outpatients group (n = 33). The results indicated that the mistrust/abuse schema among five schemas in disconnection/rejection domain, and the entitlement/grandiosity schema among two schemas in impaired limits domain were the strongest predictors of anger and aggression. The next schemas that were associated or predicted anger and aggression and might be considered in therapy are insufficient self-control, abandonment, emotional deprivation, unrelenting standards, approval seeking, subjugation, self-sacrifice, and punitiveness. A comprehensive assessment, interpretation, and intervention for these EMSs, their interaction, and the coping styles would be helpful in anger and aggression therapies.

When is Unconditional Self-Acceptance a Better Predictor of Mental Health than Self-Esteem? Abstract In REBT, self-esteem (SE) is seen as detrimental to mental health, in comparison to more adaptive construct—unconditional self-acceptance (USA). USA represents an absence of the person`s tendency to globally evaluate his/her self-worth or ability to fully accept his/herself, regardless of the particular outcome of his/her behavior (Ellis in Reason and emotion in psychotherapy: revised and updated, Carol Publishing Group, New York, 1994). Still, in empirical studies, USA and SE often correlate moderately, while SE correlates with positive outcomes in mental health measures, sometimes more than USA (Popov et al. in J Evid Based Psychother 15(2):219–236, 2015). This study aimed to compare USA and SE as predictors of mental health when positive and negative affectivity traits are included in the same model. Indicators of mental health were subjective well-being, a state of positive and negative affect, and state of anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of 268 university students. The following instruments were used: Big five plus two (Smederevac et al. in Velikih pet plus dva: Primena i nterpretacija [Big Five Plus Two: Manual for administration and interpretation], Centar za primenjenu psihologiju, Beograd, 2010), Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (Chamberlain and Haaga in J Ration Emot Cogn Behav Ther 19:177–189, 2001a). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg in Society and the adolescent self-image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1965), Short subjective well-being scale (Jovanović in Primenjena psihologija 3(2):175–190, 2010), Serbian Inventory of Affect based on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-X (Novovic and Mihic 2008), Anxiety Scale (Lovibond and Lovibond in Behav Res Ther 33:335–343, 1995), The State Depression Scale (Novović et al., in: Biro, Smederevac, Novović (eds) Procena psiholoških i psihopatoloških fenomena, Centar za primenjenu psihologiju, Beograd, pp 19–28, 2009). To test the predictive power of USA in comparison with SE, a series of linear regression analyses were conducted. The results showed that besides affectivity traits, USA has significant contribution to the prediction of mental health indicators, unlike SE.

The Role of the Belief System for Anger Management of Couples with Anger and Aggression: A Cognitive-Behavioral Perspective Abstract The aim of the present study was to understand the role of the belief system in cognitive-behavioral anger management therapy for couples. Severe anger and aggression causes discomfort that may disturb the marital and interpersonal relationship, and overall functioning of the individual. Participants of the study were 14 couples who were referred for treatment of anger and aggression. The results of univariate test of within-subjects indicate low to moderate effect size of cognitive behavioral intervention for the total score of four measures as well as the subscales. Cognitive-behavioral couple therapy was effective in reducing the level of anger and aggression. The role of beliefs in anger and aggression and limitations are discussed.

An Investigation of Sequencing Effects in Combining Cognitive Questioning and Mindful Acceptance Abstract Cognitive-behavioral treatments assume that the mechanisms of change depend on the assessment and questioning of biased beliefs. In contrast, recent developments have emphasized mindful acceptance interventions, in which clients allow thoughts to come and go without questioning them. In order to discuss therapeutic efficacy difference in emotional disorders, we explored the possible normalizing effects of cognitive questioning and mindful acceptance on sympathetic reactivity aroused by recall tasks. We compared the effects of different sequencing of cognitive questioning and mindful acceptance on emotional distress in two groups in which questioning either preceded (group 1) or followed (group 2) acceptance. Thirty-five non-clinical individuals (21 males, 14 females) randomly allocated to either group 1 or 2 participated in the experimental tasks (unpleasant recall, cognitive questioning, and metacognitive acceptance). Sympathetic reactivity levels were measured using galvanic skin response. Results showed that acceptance reduced sympathetic reactivity when compared to questioning. The best sequence was that in which questioning preceded acceptance. By interpreting sympathetic reactivity as a measure of emotional distress and experimental tasks as models for therapeutic approaches, this experiment suggests that acceptance is better than questioning in reducing emotional distress especially when cognitive questioning is followed by mindful acceptance.

A Clinical Strategy to Strengthen the Connection Between Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior: From Philosophical Principles to Psychotherapy Practice Abstract Helping clients gain insight into the ways in which their thinking influences the expression of emotional distress and maladaptive behavior is an important goal of CBT-based psychotherapies. However, efforts to establish this insight into the connection between dysfunctional beliefs and the consequences of having them (i.e., B–C connection) are often met with resistance. To address this issue in practice, therapists can draw upon certain existential principles underpinning CBT theory. More specifically, practitioners can use the concepts of existential freedom and responsibility, contained in the rational-humanistic view of rational-emotive behavior therapy, to complement current disputation strategies in the object to establish the B–C connection and, importantly, to facilitate cognitive change. Employing in practice what is postulated in theory in such cases is apt to provide individuals with a larger context of human agency in which to consider cognitive mediation.

Effect of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of College Adolescents in Nigeria Abstract Studies have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy may be a useful method for alleviating the symptoms of depression. Depression is a growing issue among college adolescents in Nigeria. This study examined the effects of group cognitive behavioural therapy on depressive symptoms in a sample of college adolescents. We employed a randomized controlled trial design with 162 college adolescents in Southeastern region of Nigeria. One screening tool was used to ascertain the severity of depressive symptoms among the study participants at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up evaluations. In order to analyze the data collected, repeated measures analysis of variance and t test statistics were employed. Effect size of the intervention was determined using partial eta squared. The findings of the experiment showed that level of depressive symptoms of adolescents enrolled in the group cognitive behavioural therapy group was significantly reduced compared to the waitlisted control group at post-treatment evaluation. We also found that this significant reduction in depressive symptoms was maintained at follow-up.

A Confirmatory Factory Analysis of the Academic Rational Beliefs Scale for Students attending Minority-Serving Institutions Abstract The academic rational beliefs scale (ARBS) was developed to assess college students’ thoughts that impact educational success. This instrument has the potential to support students’ pursuits of academic achievement, but it should be normed on more diverse populations to support ethical and effective use of the instrument. As such, the researchers administered the ARBS to a diverse sample of students at a minority-serving institution (MSI) in the United States and conducted confirmatory factor analyses to verify the factor structure. The factor structure of the original ARBS did not adequately fit the sample of students, and a revised, two-factor ARBS is presented as a potential measure of academic rational beliefs for students of color attending an MSI. Practical implications and recommendations for future studies are provided.

Development and Psychometric Properties of a Social Problem Solving Test for Adolescents Abstract This study examined the psychometric properties of the social problem solving test (SPST) using two samples of Vietnamese high school students: 247 regular students (referred to as normal students) and 168 “disruptive” students who had been diagnosed as having behavioral problems. The SPST is a performance measure of interpersonal problem-solving competence in adolescents. The SPST consists of 24 interpersonal problematic situations, set in two parts, 12 stories in SPST-A (stories-a) and 12 stories in SPST-B (stories-b). The SPST-A was structured into five subscales that were designed to assess the five components of social problem-solving competency based on the modified multi-dimensional problem-solving model. The SPST-B was divided into two scales to assess overall problem-solving abilities: problem affect-cognitions (orientation) and problem-solving actions (strategies or skills). The Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised standardized, was used to appraise the validity of the SPST-A. The preliminary data concerning the reliability and validity of these instruments were reported. The results provided evidence that the scales had acceptable internal consistency, concurrent validity and construct validity and that the SPST seem to be a promising multidimensional outcome measure of social problem-solving competence in Vietnamese adolescents.