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Enchancing adolescents' self-esteem with Rational-Emotive Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2015

Michael J. Fry
Michael J. Fry*
Affiliation:
Catholic Education Office, Mackay District
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Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) in enhancing the self-esteem of adolescent males. Six subjects were observed over a twenty-week period. At weekly intervals three measures of self-esteem were made: a self-report measure (using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory - CSEI) and two unobtrusive measures (Parent and Teacher Reports). Between the tenth and eleventh observations each subject participated in ten individual sessions of RET. Data from these observations were analysed by Interrupted Time-Series Analyses. The results indicated that the RET was effective in enhancing self-esteem. However, the treatment's effectiveness on the CSEI sub-scales was marginally differential. The main conclusion from the study was that RET is an effective therapy for enhancing the self-esteem of adolescents. The implication for education was that RET is an appropriate therapy for school counsellors dealing with adolescents who have self-esteem problems.

Type
Research Article
Information
Queensland Journal of Guidance and Counselling , Volume 4 , November 1990 , pp. 33 - 46
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1990

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