In REBT, changing cognitions is also known as which of the following?

• A. Self-Talk and Internal Verbalizations
• B. Defense Mechanisms
• C. Automatic Thoughts
• D. Subconscious Beliefs

Answer: (A)

In REBT, changing cognitions happens by altering the self-talk and internal verbalizations we use to interpret events. The inner dialogue we repeat to ourselves shapes how we evaluate situations, which then drives our emotions and actions. By identifying irrational self-talk, disputing it, and replacing it with more rational, constructive inner statements, we shift the beliefs that underlie distress. This focus on how we talk to ourselves is why self-talk and internal verbalizations is the best fit. Defense mechanisms come from psychodynamic ideas about unconscious coping, not a direct cognitive-change process; automatic thoughts is a broader CBT term, but REBT emphasizes changing the self-talk that conveys irrational beliefs; subconscious beliefs aren’t the specific target of REBT’s cognitive change.