Musturbation is the term used by Albert Ellis to describe beliefs grounded in what?

• A. A coping strategy for emotional regulation
• B. The word used by Albert Ellis to describe beliefs grounded in musts, shoulds, and oughts; a rigid and absolute thinking.
• C. A process for recognizing irrational thoughts
• D. A technique for cognitive restructuring

Answer: (B)

Musturbation is the idea that our beliefs are built on rigid, nonnegotiable demands about how life must be. In REBT, Albert Ellis argues that emotional distress arises when we hold absolute musts, shoulds, and oughts about ourselves, others, and the world. These demands create a black-and-white, all-or-nothing mindset: if things don’t meet these strict rules, we experience frustration, guilt, anxiety, or anger. So the term captures beliefs that are grounded in musts, shoulds, and oughts and expressed as rigid, absolute thinking. It’s not a coping strategy, a process for recognizing irrational thoughts, or a cognitive restructuring technique—the focus is on the inflexible belief pattern itself.