Previous research has indicated the effectiveness of rational-emotive education techniques in reducing anxiety and building self-esteem with regular classroom children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rational-emotive group therapy on anxiety and self-esteem of learning-disabled children. One hundred ten learning-disabled children (ages 8-13) were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: rational-emotive therapy (N=32), recreational-educational programming (N=31), or no-contact (N=47). Within the two experimental treatments that actually met, groups of seven to nine members, similar in chronological age, were formed. The rational-emotive groups received therapy based on rational-emotive theory. The recreational-educational programming groups engaged in such activities as arts and crafts, table-top games, gym activities , sports, auditory center, and hiking. The no-contact group did not meet. A total of nine sessions over a ten-week period were conducted with the children who were in the rational-emotive and recreational-education groups. Pre- and posttest measures of self-esteem (SEI) and anxiety (TA3C) were obtained. In this quasi-experimental study, a non-equivalent control-group research design was employed. The data were studied statistically by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance and discriminant analysis. Results indicated significantly lower mean anxiety scores for the rational-emotive therapy group (p < .0005) after treatment. No significant difference was obtained in mean self-esteem estimates. It was concluded that rational-emotive group therapy shows potential for use in reducing anxiety in learning disabled children. This study supports the findings of earlier research that rational-emotive therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety. It is suggested that self-esteem may be less susceptible to change over relatively short-term therapy periods. Recommendations for further research are offered.
","abstract_html":"<p>Previous research has indicated the effectiveness of rational-emotive education techniques in reducing anxiety and building self-esteem with regular classroom children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rational-emotive group therapy on anxiety and self-esteem of learning-disabled children. One hundred ten learning-disabled children (ages 8-13) were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: rational-emotive therapy (N=32), recreational-educational programming (N=31), or no-contact (N=47). Within the two experimental treatments that actually met, groups of seven to nine members, similar in chronological age, were formed. The rational-emotive groups received therapy based on rational-emotive theory. The recreational-educational programming groups engaged in such activities as arts and crafts, table-top games, gym activities , sports, auditory center, and hiking. The no-contact group did not meet. A total of nine sessions over a ten-week period were conducted with the children who were in the rational-emotive and recreational-education groups. Pre- and posttest measures of self-esteem (SEI) and anxiety (TA3C) were obtained. In this quasi-experimental study, a non-equivalent control-group research design was employed. The data were studied statistically by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance and discriminant analysis. Results indicated significantly lower mean anxiety scores for the rational-emotive therapy group (p < .0005) after treatment. No significant difference was obtained in mean self-esteem estimates. It was concluded that rational-emotive group therapy shows potential for use in reducing anxiety in learning disabled children. This study supports the findings of earlier research that rational-emotive therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety. It is suggested that self-esteem may be less susceptible to change over relatively short-term therapy periods. Recommendations for further research are offered.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Meyer, Donna J"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Educational Psychology, Ed.D.","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Conrad A. Reichert","Roy E. Hartbauer","Wilfred W. Liske"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1981,"date_issued":"1981-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1981-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:54:11Z","subjects":["School Psychology","Special Education and Teaching"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/575","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Conrad A. Reichert","Roy E. Hartbauer","Wilfred W. 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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rational-emotive group therapy on anxiety and self-esteem of learning-disabled children. One hundred ten learning-disabled children (ages 8-13) were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: rational-emotive therapy (N=32), recreational-educational programming (N=31), or no-contact (N=47). Within the two experimental treatments that actually met, groups of seven to nine members, similar in chronological age, were formed. The rational-emotive groups received therapy based on rational-emotive theory. The recreational-educational programming groups engaged in such activities as arts and crafts, table-top games, gym activities , sports, auditory center, and hiking. The no-contact group did not meet. A total of nine sessions over a ten-week period were conducted with the children who were in the rational-emotive and recreational-education groups. Pre- and posttest measures of self-esteem (SEI) and anxiety (TA3C) were obtained. In this quasi-experimental study, a non-equivalent control-group research design was employed. The data were studied statistically by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance and discriminant analysis. Results indicated significantly lower mean anxiety scores for the rational-emotive therapy group (p < .0005) after treatment. No significant difference was obtained in mean self-esteem estimates. It was concluded that rational-emotive group therapy shows potential for use in reducing anxiety in learning disabled children. This study supports the findings of earlier research that rational-emotive therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety. It is suggested that self-esteem may be less susceptible to change over relatively short-term therapy periods. Recommendations for further research are offered.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of Rational-Emotive Group Therapy Upon Anxiety and Self-Esteem of Learning Disabled Children"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Conrad A. Reichert","Roy E. Hartbauer","Wilfred W. Liske"],"dc:creator":["Meyer, Donna J"],"dc:description.abstract":["Previous research has indicated the effectiveness of rational-emotive education techniques in reducing anxiety and building self-esteem with regular classroom children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rational-emotive group therapy on anxiety and self-esteem of learning-disabled children. One hundred ten learning-disabled children (ages 8-13) were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: rational-emotive therapy (N=32), recreational-educational programming (N=31), or no-contact (N=47). Within the two experimental treatments that actually met, groups of seven to nine members, similar in chronological age, were formed. The rational-emotive groups received therapy based on rational-emotive theory. The recreational-educational programming groups engaged in such activities as arts and crafts, table-top games, gym activities , sports, auditory center, and hiking. The no-contact group did not meet. A total of nine sessions over a ten-week period were conducted with the children who were in the rational-emotive and recreational-education groups. Pre- and posttest measures of self-esteem (SEI) and anxiety (TA3C) were obtained. In this quasi-experimental study, a non-equivalent control-group research design was employed. The data were studied statistically by univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance and discriminant analysis. Results indicated significantly lower mean anxiety scores for the rational-emotive therapy group (p < .0005) after treatment. No significant difference was obtained in mean self-esteem estimates. It was concluded that rational-emotive group therapy shows potential for use in reducing anxiety in learning disabled children. This study supports the findings of earlier research that rational-emotive therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety. It is suggested that self-esteem may be less susceptible to change over relatively short-term therapy periods. Recommendations for further research are offered.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/575"],"dc:subject":["School Psychology","Special Education and Teaching"],"dc:title":["Effects of Rational-Emotive Group Therapy Upon Anxiety and Self-Esteem of Learning Disabled Children"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Psychology, Ed.D."],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:54:11Z"}