Getting What You ‘Must’ Have and Still Suffering: Dampening Appraisals Statistically Mediate the Association Between Positive Irrational Beliefs and Negative Affect in Positive Situations

Abstract Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) highlights irrational beliefs as rigid and extreme appraisals relevant to emotional disturbance. Most prior work has focused on negative-valence contexts, and less is known about the effects of irrational beliefs in positive-valence contexts. In the present study, 120 participants vividly imagined six positive scenarios and rated vividness, positive irrational beliefs (e.g., positive demandingness, extreme wonderfulizing, positive intolerance, extreme overgeneralization), dampening appraisals, and positive and negative affect. Using aggregated person-level scores, we estimated mediation and multiple regression models. Positive irrational beliefs were positively associated with negative affect in imagined positive situations, and these associations were statistically indirect through dampening appraisals. Exploratory reverse models were also significant, suggesting that the association between dampening and negative affect may be bidirectional rather than strictly directional. These findings identified dampening appraisals as a plausible correlate and statistical mediator of the association between positive irrational beliefs and negative affect during positive imagery. We discuss implications for appraisal-focused interventions, measurement development, and future multilevel and experimental research on negative affect in positive contexts.