Global Evaluation of Self
Definition
In REBT, global evaluation of human worth (or global evaluation of self) is a core irrational belief in which a person rates themselves (or others) as wholly worthless or fundamentally defective based on specific behaviours, failures, or characteristics.
Key features:
- Globalisation: One mistake or shortcoming is taken as evidence of overall worthlessness
- Conditional self-worth: Self-esteem fluctuates based on performance, approval, or achievements
- All-or-nothing thinking: No middle ground between “worthy” and “worthless”
Clinical Relevance
This belief is central to many presentations:
- Depression: “I failed at X, therefore I am a failure” (global evaluation)
- Shame and guilt: Feeling fundamentally defective rather than having done something wrong
- Anxiety/Social anxiety: Fear that others will discover one’s fundamental unworthiness
- Perfectionism: Driven by the need to prove one’s worth through flawless performance
- Interpersonal difficulties: Harsh judgment of others based on their mistakes; difficulty extending forgiveness
Research (DiGiuseppe et al., 2020) has shown that global evaluation of self stands alone as a particularly powerful and independent irrational belief construct.
Rational Alternative: Unconditional Self-Acceptance
Rather than basing self-worth on performance or others’ approval, REBT advocates unconditional self-acceptance:
- All humans have equal intrinsic worth, regardless of behaviour, achievements, or flaws
- One can disapprove of one’s actions without disapproving of oneself as a person
- Responsibility for one’s behaviour is separate from self-condemnation
How Different Frameworks Address This
| Framework | Approach |
|---|---|
| REBT | Explicit philosophical work on unconditional self-acceptance; disputation of the belief that worth is earned or conditional |
| CBT | May address shame-based thinking and self-critical thoughts; builds in behavioral successes to improve self-esteem |
| CFT | Deep focus on shame, self-compassion, and the feared self; uses soothing and emotional regulation to counter shame |
| TEAM-CBT | Combines REBT’s self-acceptance work with emotional activation and other methods |
| ACT | Values-based living rather than self-evaluation; defusion from harsh self-judgments |