THE ROLE OF RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (REBT) IN ALLEVIATING BURNOUT AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CAREER BELIEFS AMONG ADULT EDUCATION TEACHERS IN NIGERIA: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

The study examined the outcome of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) intervention in reducing dysfunctional career beliefs and burnout among adult education teachers in Nigeria. A group-randomized trial design was used in the study. Participants of the study included 162 adult education teachers in Enugu State, Nigeria. Two instruments, the Dysfunctional Career Beliefs Scale (DCBS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), validated by experts in cognitive and behavioural psychology, career coaching and measurement and evaluation, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were used for data collection. The instruments had internal construct and content validities ascertained through Cronbach’s alpha technique for internal reliability. ANCOVA was used to answer research questions and test the hypotheses. The results of the study demonstrated that Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) intervention is positively significant in managing dysfunctional career beliefs and burnout among adult education teachers as the levels of dysfunctional career beliefs and burnout among adult teachers exposed to the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) intervention reduced considerably after the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) intervention at the post-test and follow-up test. Following the positive impact of the Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) intervention on adult education teachers suffering from dysfunctional career beliefs and burnout, the recommendation that adult education teachers be exposed to Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) treatments became very potent as Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) was effective in reducing dysfunctional career beliefs and burnout among adult education teachers in Nigeria.