Effects of a rational-emotive health education intervention on stress management and irrational beliefs among technical college teachers in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background:Stress is the product of how an individual reacts and adapts to the specific demands and threats they encounter while carrying out given tasks. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a rational-emotive health education intervention (REHEI) on stress management, and irrational beliefs in a sample of technical college teachers in Southeast Nigeria.Method:The study design was a pretest–posttest control group. Repeated measures analysis of variance, paired t test and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyze the data collected.Results:The REHEI significantly reduced teacher stress in those teaching staff exposed to the treatment intervention, relative to a waitlist control group. Furthermore, the REHEI program significantly decreased irrational beliefs about teaching in those teaching staff exposed to the treatment intervention compared to a waitlist control group.Conclusion:The REHEI program can be used to coach teachers on how to manage and cope with stress and overcome irrational beliefs in teaching.

Effect of rational-emotive adult education intervention on burnout symptoms among primary school teachers in Southeast Nigeria

“…6 The present results are also in accordance with a study that showed REEI was significantly effective in the stress management and irrational beliefs among college teachers in Nigeria. 5 In addition, our findings confirm other studies that have shown burnout symptoms primarily result from irrational beliefs. [6][7][8] Crucially, irrational beliefs can build maladaptive cognitive patterns which lead to professional burnout.…”

“…Therapeutic techniques such as relaxation, stretching, and cognitive restructuring exercises were used. 5,11 The REAEI program covered 32 therapeutic sessions each lasting two hours for 16 consecutive weeks (i.e., two sessions per week. Four similar follow-up sessions over two weeks occurred three months after the last therapy session.…”

“…3 Teacher stress is common in Nigerian school settings. 4,5 For example, one study involving 432 teachers in Southeast Nigeria found that there was a high prevalence of burnout which manifested as symptoms of emotional exhaustion, de-personalization, reduced personal accomplishment, psychological distress and low levels of job satisfaction. 4 Burnout symptoms are considered to result primarily from irrational beliefs, [6][7] Indeed, there is evidence to show that irrational beliefs significantly predict burnout behaviors, 6 and maladaptive thinking patterns correlate with burnout behaviors.…”

Development of Rational Emotive Education Module for Stress Intervention of Malaysian Boarding School Students

“…Furthermore, our review on REBT literature on Web of Science database found that out of REE literature published within 2006-2018, most of the applications of REE program were on HIV risk perceptions among in-school adolescents (Onyechi, Eseadi, Okere, & Otu, 2016), teachers' emotional distress (Bora et al, 2009;Ugwoke et al, 2017), school children (Cristea, Benga, & Opre, 2008;Opre, Buzgar, & Dumulescu, 2013;Trip et al, 2007), and teenagers from a high school (Lupu & Iftene, 2009). Critical discussion on the REE model development, especially for boarding school students' stress intervention, is found to be absent.…”

Effect of rational emotive behavior therapy on stress management and irrational beliefs of special education teachers in Nigerian elementary schools

“…For example, “students should not be frustrated”; “people who misbehave deserve severe punishment”;“there should be no discomfort or frustration at school”; and “teachers always need a great deal of help from others to solve school-related problems.” These irrational beliefs can lead to a wide range of psychological problems, including extreme stress. [ 45 , 49 – 51 ]…”