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The Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI) Brief Description

Method · October 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.24007.24485

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Martin J. Turner
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 The Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI)

Brief Description

The irrational performance beliefs inventory (iPBI; Turner et al., in 2018) has been
developed by psychologists at Staffordshire University, Loughborough University,
and The University of Wollongong, to assess irrational beliefs pertaining to
performance settings such as business, education, performing arts, the military, and
sport and exercise. This validated inventory comprises 28-items for which
respondents indicate their agreement. The iPBI demonstrates test-retest validity
(Turner, Slater, Dixon, & Miller, 2017), and a shorter 20-item sport version of the
iPBI has been validated (Turner & Allen. 2018). The iPBI measures the four core
irrational beliefs as proposed by, a well-established cognitive behavioral approach,
rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT; Ellis, 1957):

1. Demands: The tendency to demand success, fair treatment, and respect (e.g., I
must be treated fairly).
2. Awfulizing: The tendency to consider adverse events as awful or terrible (e.g.,
Its awful when I am disrespected).
3. Low Frustration Tolerance (LFT): The belief that one could not stand or
tolerate adversity (e.g., I cannot stand being treated unfairly).
4. Depreciation: The belief that one event reflects the person as a whole (e.g.,
When I fail it shows that I am a complete failure).

Usage

Irrational performance beliefs can undermine goal attainment, well-being, and mental
health, and have been shown to be prevalent across a broad range of individuals in
adults and children (e.g., Turner, 2016). Because the iPBI assesses the four specific
core irrational beliefs, it is possible to pinpoint individuals’ most salient irrational
beliefs for targeted intervention. The accurate assessment of irrational beliefs is
important for three chief reasons:

1. In hundreds of research studies, irrational beliefs have been shown to lead to a

vast range of dysfunctional emotions and behaviors, and are associated with
depression, anxiety, burnout, and suicidal thoughts. Therefore understanding
irrational beliefs can help to form a more complete picture of ill-being and
mental illness.
2. Irrational beliefs are able to distinguish between high distressed/depressed and
low distressed/depressed people. Therefore, assessing irrational beliefs can
help us to identify potentially at-risk individuals with regards to ill-being and
mental illness.
3. Effective assessment can provide valuable insights into the cognitive
processes underlying dysfunctional emotions and behaviors clinically and
non-clinically. Therefore, the iPBI can also be used to assess the effectiveness
of targeted psychological interventions across various populations.

The iPBI is the first assessment tool to address performance beliefs. This is important
because when we assess irrational beliefs, the context is vital, and we all perform,
whether it’s an athlete on the track, or a surgeon in theater, or a parent managing their
busy home life. Irrational beliefs within these performance contexts can hinder goal
attainment, wellbeing, and mental health.
Contact

Please contact Dr. Martin Turner (smarterthinkingproj@icloud.com) for further

information about the iPBI.

Website

For blogs about the application of REBT within performance settings, visit
www.thesmarterthinkingproject.com

Original paper

Turner, M. J., Allen, M., Slater, M. J., Barker, J. B., Woodcock, C., Harwood, C. G.,
& McFadyen, K. (2018). The development and initial validation of the irrational
performance beliefs inventory (iPBI). European Journal of Psychological
Assessment, 34, 174-180.

Sport Version

Turner, M. J., & Allen, M. (2018). Confirmatory factor analysis of the irrational
Performance Beliefs Inventory (iPBI) in a sample of amateur and semi-professional
athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 35, 126-130.

Thai Language Version

Chotpitayasunondh, V., & Turner, M. J. (2019). The Development and Validation of

the Thai-translated Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory (T-iPBI). Journal of
Rational Emotive & Cognitive Behavior Therapy, 37(2), 202-221. doi:
10.1007/s10942-018-0306-6.

Selected References

Turner, M. J., Carrington, S., & Miller, A. (2019). Psychological distress across sport
participation groups: The mediating effects of secondary irrational beliefs on the
relationship between primary irrational beliefs and symptoms of anxiety, anger, and
depression. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 13(1), 17-40.

Turner, M. J., Slater, M. J., Dixon, J., & Miller, A. (2017). Test-retest reliability of the
irrational performance beliefs inventory (iPBI). European Journal of Sport Science,
18(1), 123-129.

Turner, M. J. (2014). Smarter thinking in sport. The Psychologist, 27(8), 596-599.

 Beliefs Scale
Here are a set of statements that describe what some people think and believe. Read each statement
carefully, and then decide how much you agree or disagree with it by selecting the appropriate
response.

Items Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree nor Agree
Disagree
1 I can’t stand not reaching my goals 1 2 3 4 5

2 If I face setbacks it goes to show how stupid I am 1 2 3 4 5

3 I can't tolerate it when I fail at something that means a great 1 2 3 4 5

deal to me
4 I need my manager/coach to act respectfully towards me 1 2 3 4 5

5 I have to be viewed favourably by people that matter to me 1 2 3 4 5

6 It is appalling if others do not give me chances 1 2 3 4 5

7 If decisions that affect me are not justified, it shows that I am 1 2 3 4 5

worthless
8 If I am not given opportunities, then it shows that I am not a 1 2 3 4 5
worthwhile person
9 I need others to think that I make a valuable contribution 1 2 3 4 5

10 I am a loser if I do not succeed in things that matter to me 1 2 3 4 5

11 I have to be respected by the members of my team 1 2 3 4 5

12 I can’t bear not getting better at what I do 1 2 3 4 5

13 I absolutely should not be snubbed by people that matter to 1 2 3 4 5

me
14 If my position in my team was not secure, then it would 1 2 3 4 5
show I am worthless
15 I can't bear not being given chances 1 2 3 4 5

16 It’s awful to not be treated fairly by my peers 1 2 3 4 5

17 It’s terrible if the members of my team do not respect me 1 2 3 4 5

18 I must not be dismissed by my peers 1 2 3 4 5

19 I couldn’t stand it if my competencies did not continually 1 2 3 4 5

develop and improve
20 I can’t stand failing in things that are important to me 1 2 3 4 5

21 It’s awful if others do not approve of me 1 2 3 4 5

22 Decisions that affect me must be justified 1 2 3 4 5

23 It would be terrible to be dismissed by my peers 1 2 3 4 5

24 If my competencies did not continually develop and improve, 1 2 3 4 5

it would show what a failure I am
25 I can’t bear not succeeding in things that are important to 1 2 3 4 5
me
26 It would be awful if my position in my team was not secure 1 2 3 4 5

27 If others think I am no good at what I do, it shows I am 1 2 3 4 5

worthless
28 It’s awful if others think I do not make a valuable 1 2 3 4 5
contribution
 Beliefs Scale 2 (Sport)
Here are a set of statements that describe what some people think and believe. Read each statement
carefully, and then decide how much you agree or disagree with it by selecting the appropriate
response.

Items Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree nor Agree
Disagree
1 I can’t stand not reaching my goals 1 2 3 4 5

2 If I face setbacks it goes to show how stupid I am 1 2 3 4 5

3 I have to be viewed favourably by people that matter to me 1 2 3 4 5

4 It is appalling if others do not give me chances 1 2 3 4 5

5 I need others to think that I make a valuable contribution 1 2 3 4 5

6 I am a loser if I do not succeed in things that matter to me 1 2 3 4 5

7 I have to be respected by the members of my team 1 2 3 4 5

8 I can’t bear not getting better at what I do 1 2 3 4 5

9 I absolutely should not be snubbed by people that matter to 1 2 3 4 5

me
10 If my position in my team was not secure, then it would 1 2 3 4 5
show I am worthless
11 It’s terrible if the members of my team do not respect me 1 2 3 4 5

12 I must not be dismissed by my peers 1 2 3 4 5

13 I couldn’t stand it if my competencies did not continually 1 2 3 4 5

develop and improve
14 I can’t stand failing in things that are important to me 1 2 3 4 5

15 It would be terrible to be dismissed by my peers 1 2 3 4 5

16 If my competencies did not continually develop and improve, 1 2 3 4 5

it would show what a failure I am
17 I can’t bear not succeeding in things that are important to 1 2 3 4 5
me
18 It would be awful if my position in my team was not secure 1 2 3 4 5

19 If others think I am no good at what I do, it shows I am 1 2 3 4 5

worthless
20 It’s awful if others think I do not make a valuable 1 2 3 4 5
contribution

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