Effects of gender and year in college on students’ irrational beliefs

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of gender and year in college on university students’ irrational beliefs. A total of 388 students aged 18–26 years (M = 20.78, SD = 1.09) participated. The Arabic version of the German Irrational Beliefs Questionnaire was used to measure irrational beliefs across four subscales: Dependency, internal attribution of failure, negative self-evaluation, and irritability. Findings revealed significant gender differences, with female students scoring higher on total irrational beliefs, particularly on negative self-evaluation and irritability subscales. No significant effects were found for year in college. The study documents that female students are more prone to irrational thinking patterns, indicating greater sensitivity to external stimuli and higher self-blame for perceived failures. Practical implications suggest that counseling programs targeting irrational beliefs may be particularly beneficial for female students. Since year in college does not significantly influence irrational beliefs, interventions can be applied across all academic levels. Future research should explore irrational beliefs in relation to other personality variables and examine the effectiveness of counseling programs aimed at reducing irrational thinking to enhance mental health outcomes.