We apply to the random-field Ising model at zero temperature ([Formula: see text]) the perturbative loop expansion around the Bethe solution. A comparison with the standard ϵ expansion is made, highlighting the key differences that make the expansion around the Bethe solution much more appropriate to correctly describe strongly disordered systems, especially those controlled by a [Formula: see text] renormalization group (RG) fixed point. The latter loop expansion produces an effective theory with cubic vertices. We compute the one-loop corrections due to cubic vertices, finding additional terms that are absent in the ϵ expansion. However, these additional terms are subdominant with respect to the standard, supersymmetric ones; therefore, dimensional reduction is still valid at this order of the loop expansion.
Keywords: Bethe lattices; Ising model; critical exponents; disordered systems; perturbative expansion.