Which cognitive behavior modification approach is designed to help clients reduce irrational beliefs by changing their internal dialogue, as developed by Donald Meichenbaum?

• A. Stress-inoculation training
• B. Aloneness
• C. Self-instructional therapy
• D. Polarized Thinking

Answer: (C)

Self-instructional therapy uses changing internal dialogue to reduce irrational beliefs. In this approach, clients learn to recognize maladaptive self-talk and replace it with positive, task-focused self-statements that guide behavior and interpretation of situations. Through modeling, guided practice, and gradual fade of external prompts, these self-statements become internalized, helping people regulate emotions, improve problem-solving, and challenge distorted beliefs.

For example, before a performance task, a client might shift from thinking “I’ll mess up” to “I’ve prepared, I can handle this, I’ll use my plan.” This shift in inner speech changes how they interpret the situation and respond, reducing irrational beliefs and promoting more adaptive behavior. Stress-inoculation training also uses self-talk but is broader, aiming to strengthen general coping with stress, whereas self-instructional therapy targets the internal dialogue directly to modify irrational beliefs.