Objective This study investigated the efficacy of a group rational emotive behavioural intervention for burnout among postgraduate chemistry education students in Nigeria. Method Participants were 36 postgraduate chemistry education students with high burnout symptoms; 18 students were randomly assigned to an experimental group and 18 to a control group. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory – Student Version was used to assess burnout. Results There was no significant difference between the experimental group and control group in pretest mean burnout scores. However, experimental group posttest scores showed a significant improvement compared with both experimental group pretest scores and with control group posttest scores, indicating that the group rational emotive behavioural intervention was effective in enabling postgraduate chemistry education students to manage burnout. Experimental group follow-up scores showed a significantly sustained improvement compared with both experimental group posttest scores and with control group follow-up scores, indicating that the effect of the intervention was maintained at follow-up. Conclusion The group rational emotive behavioural intervention was an effective treatment modality for burnout in postgraduate chemistry education students.

Background: Extensive review of literature showed that no available study in Nigeria has explored the impact of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) on the management of occupational stress among open and distance learning (ODL) centers science and social science education facilitators. Thus, this study determined the impacts of CBT on the management of occupational stress among science and social science education facilitators in ODL centers in South-South Nigeria. Methods: A randomized controlled trial experimental design was adopted for the study with a sample size of 68 science and social science education facilitators in ODL centers in South-South states, Nigeria. Perceived stress scale (PSS) and Occupational stress index (OSI) were used for data collection. Using Cronbach alpha method, internal consistency reliability indices of 0.81 and 0.85 for PSS and OSI respectively were obtained in the Nigerian context. A 12-week cognitive behavior therapy intervention was conducted after which the participants in both the intervention group and the non-intervention group were administered posttest, while a follow-up assessment was administered after 2 months. Data collected were analyzed using mixed-design repeated-measures analysis of variance for the within-groups and between-groups effects. Results: It was found that CBT intervention led to a significant decrease in the occupational stress among science and social science education facilitators in ODL in the South-South region of Nigeria. Conclusion: Cognitive behavior therapy is effective in the management of occupational stress among science and social science education facilitators in distance learning centers.

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