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Cited by 28Psychological Treatments and AssessmentsSport Psychology and PerformanceAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

When time is of the essence: The use of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) informed single-session therapy (SST) to alleviate social and golf-specific anxiety, and improve wellbeing and performance, in amateur golfers

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Bowman, A.W., Turner, M.J.·2022·Psychology of Sport and Exercise
DOI 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102167
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Abstract

Anxieties associated with the social evaluative nature of golf are present in the majority of athletes and impact directly on their wellbeing and objective performance. One potential intervention that could reduce social anxiety in golfers is rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). There is limited research into the effectiveness of REBT in reducing social anxiety and even less research to assess if REBT can be delivered in time-constricted situations when the expectations for immediate results are high, as is the case with many handicap golfers. The current study used an idiographic single-case study design to assess the effects of REBT-informed single-session therapy (SST) on the social anxiety of five amateur golfers. REBT was employed in a short telephone call to target the performance issue, followed up with a single face-to-face session. Data were collected prior to, immediately following, and four weeks after the REBT intervention. Visual analysis following single-case guidelines revealed substantial reductions in irrational beliefs and social anxiety as well as improvements in wellbeing, scoring average, competition placings and handicap reductions in four out of five golfers. Discussion with golfers at a telephone follow-up indicated the positive receipt of REBT by the golfers and supported the visual analysis findings. This current study supports the effectiveness of REBT and also extends the research by demonstrating that REBT-informed SST can be an effective intervention, in a time-restricted environment, for those golfers with a clear target problem and who are ready to take care of business, providing clear implications for future research and practice.

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  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) is particularly effective with anxiety-related issues.

    “Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)53, a cognitive behavioral approach that targets at weakening irrational beliefs and strengthening rational beliefs, is particularly effective with anxiety-related issues54.”

    From Rational thinking as a mediator of the relationship between mindfulness and dental anxiety (2023) · cites this paper as [54]

    The Discussion (page not provided) reports reduced social and golf-specific anxiety in four of five amateur golfers and says the findings support REBT’s effectiveness in reducing anxiety in athletes. The paper does not establish that REBT is particularly effective for anxiety compared with other issues, or that the finding extends beyond the populations discussed. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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5 of the 69 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 8

  1. Dryden, W. (2020). Single-session therapy and its future: What SST leaders think (routledge focus on mental health) (1st ed.). Routledge.
  2. Ellis, A., & Dryden, W. (1997). The practice of rational-emotive behavior therapy. Springer Publishing Company.
  3. Hoyt, M. F. (2011). Foreword. In A. Slive, & M. Bobele (Eds.), When one hour is all you have: Effective therapy for walk-in clients (pp. Xix-xv).
  4. Kazdin, A. E. (2011). Single-case research designs: Methods for clinical and applied settings (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
  5. Maultsby, M. (1971). Rational emotive imagery. Rational Living, 6(1), 24-27.
  6. Palmer, S. (1995). Brief therapy: A rational-emotive behavior approach: Dr stephen palmer interviews dr albert Ellis. The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapist, 3(2), 68-71.
  7. Turner, M. J. (2019). REBT in sport. In, M.E. Bernard & W. Dryden. In Advancing REBT theory, research and practice. Springer.
  8. Turner, M. J., & Bennett, R. (Eds.). (2018). Rational emotive behaviour therapy in sport and exercise. Routledge.

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Authors
Bowman, A. W., & Turner, M. J.
Affiliations
Manchester Metropolitan University (GB)
Corresponding author
Turner, M.J.
ORCID
Venue
Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-05
Volume
60
Pages
102167
ISSN
1469-0292 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102167
OpenAlex
W4212927874
Cited by
28
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4
FWCI
5.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychology of sport and exercise (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • e-space (Manchester Metropolitan University) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
rational emotive behavior therapy, single-session intervention, social anxiety, amateur golfers, irrational beliefs, telephone-delivered intervention, golf performance, golf handicap, well-being

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