Rational emotive behavior therapy for reducing adolescent anxiety in post-covid-19 pandemic online learning: group approach and single case design

  • I Dewa Ayu Eka Purba Dharma Tari 
    Universitas PGRI Mahadewa, Indonesia
    Indonesia
  • I Made Mahaardhika
    Universitas PGRI Mahadewa, Indonesia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to prolonged isolation and a widespread shift to online education, which has influenced students' emotional well-being. As schools transitioned back to in-person learning, many students exhibited signs of anxiety. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is recognized as a promising method for addressing post-isolation anxiety by helping students develop rational thoughts and emotional regulation. This study explores the prevalence of anxiety among students involved in distance learning and examines the effectiveness of REBT in alleviating this anxiety. A single case design was employed with 6 students, selected from an initial group of 121 participants from five junior high schools in Denpasar, Indonesia. After filling out an anxiety questionnaire, 6 students were selected based on their anxiety levels and willingness to participate. These students underwent 12 REBT sessions, which included both group therapy and individual techniques. The analysis of pre- and post-test data revealed a significant reduction of 33.5% in anxiety levels, with statistical analysis showing a p-value of 0.025 (<0.05), confirming the positive impact of REBT. The study highlights the importance of addressing anxiety during transitions in education and underscores the potential of REBT in improving students' emotional well-being in post-pandemic learning environments. Further research can explore the long-term effects of REBT and its integration into school-based mental health programs.

Keywords
  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT)
  • Adolescent Anxiety
  • Online Learning
  • Post-prolonged Isolation
  • COVID-19 Pandemic
Lisensing Information
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References
  1. Abbasnejad, B., Soltani, S., & Wong, P. (2024). A systematic review of online learning and teaching strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for the construction management sector. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 13(4), 934–959.
  2. Adedoyin, O. B., & Soykan, E. (2023). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: the challenges and opportunities. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(2), 863–875.
  3. Agustina, S., & Nandiyanto, A. B. D. (2021). The effectiveness of distance learning using learning management system media and whatsapp groups at senior high school. Indonesian Journal of Multidiciplinary Research, 1(1), 89–98.
  4. Asfar, A., & Asfar, A. (2021). The effectiveness of distance learning through Edmodo and Video Conferencing Jitsi Meet. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1760(1), 12040.
  5. Association, A. P. (2015). Anxiety disorders: DSM-5® selections. American Psychiatric Pub.
  6. Bae, S. H., Jo, M. G., & Han, S. I. (2024). Unmasking Student Dynamics: the Impact of COVID-19 on Social-Emotional Development and Learning Engagement. IJREE–International Journal for Research on Extended Education, 11(2), 46–71.
  7. Beck, A. T. (2015). Cognitive therapy. In Evolution of psychotherapy (pp. 149–163). Routledge.
  8. Bedolla, V. (2024). The Remote Learning Experiences of Middle School English Learners During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Study From the Perspective of Parents. Concordia University Irvine.
  9. Besser, A., Flett, G. L., & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2022). Adaptability to a sudden transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding the challenges for students. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 8(2), 85.
  10. Bortolotti, L. (2014). Irrationality. John Wiley & Sons.
  11. Buschmann, T., Horn, R. A., Blankenship, V. R., Garcia, Y. E., & Bohan, K. B. (2018). The relationship between automatic thoughts and irrational beliefs predicting anxiety and depression. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 36, 137–162.
  12. Cahaya, A., Yusriadi, Y., & Gheisari, A. (2022). Transformation of the Education Sector during the COVID‐19 Pandemic in Indonesia. Education Research International, 2022(1), 8561759.
  13. Corder, G. W., & Foreman, D. I. (2014). Nonparametric statistics: A step-by-step approach. John Wiley & Sons.
  14. Cristea, I. A., Stefan, S., David, O., Mogoase, C., & Dobrean, A. (2015). REBT in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adults. Springer.
  15. David, D., Szentagotai, A., Eva, K., & Macavei, B. (2005). A synopsis of rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT); fundamental and applied research. Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 23, 175–221.
  16. DiGiuseppe, R., Leaf, R., Gorman, B., & Robin, M. W. (2018). The development of a measure of irrational/rational beliefs. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 36, 47–79.
  17. Dryden, W., & Neenan, M. (2020). Rational emotive behaviour therapy: 100 key points and techniques. Routledge.
  18. Ellis, D. J. (2021). Rational emotive behavior therapy. American Psychological Association.
  19. Fauzi, M. A. (2022). E-learning in higher education institutions during COVID-19 pandemic: current and future trends through bibliometric analysis. Heliyon, 8(5).
  20. Fitri Indriani, & Dwi Sulisworo. (2022). Figure Out the Online Discussion Activeness of Pre-Teacher Education Students. Journal of Pedagogy and Education Science, 1(01), 29–38. https://doi.org/10.56741/jpes.v1i1.7
  21. Gabbard, G. O. (2014). Psychodynamic psychiatry in clinical practice. American Psychiatric Pub.
  22. Grabska, M., Gevorgyan, S., & Petrosyan, R. (2023). Some Reflections on Covid-19 Impact on Students’ Academic Motivation and Psychological Well-being after Lockdowns.
  23. Greenberger, D., & Padesky, C. A. (2015). Mind over mood: Change how you feel by changing the way you think. Guilford Publications.
  24. Guessoum, S. B., Lachal, J., Radjack, R., Carretier, E., Minassian, S., Benoit, L., & Moro, M. R. (2020). Adolescent psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Psychiatry Research, 291, 113264.
  25. Harpe, S. E. (2015). How to analyze Likert and other rating scale data. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 7(6), 836–850.
  26. Heng, K., & Sol, K. (2021). Online learning during COVID-19: Key challenges and suggestions to enhance effectiveness. Cambodian Journal of Educational Research, 1(1), 3–16.
  27. Ironsi, C. S. (2022). Google Meet as a synchronous language learning tool for emergency online distant learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceptions of language instructors and preservice teachers. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(2), 640–659.
  28. Kim, M. A., Kim, J., & Kim, E. J. (2015). Effects of rational emotive behavior therapy for senior nursing students on coping strategies and self-efficacy. Nurse Education Today, 35(3), 456–460.
  29. Kontoangelos, K., Economou, M., & Papageorgiou, C. (2020). Mental health effects of COVID-19 pandemia: a review of clinical and psychological traits. Psychiatry Investigation, 17(6), 491.
  30. Kring, A. M., & Johnson, S. L. (2022). Abnormal psychology: The science and treatment of psychological disorders. John Wiley & Sons.
  31. Laar, R. A., Ashraf, M. A., Ning, J., Ji, P., Fang, P., Yu, T., & Khan, M. N. (2021). Performance, health, and psychological challenges faced by students of physical education in online learning during COVID-19 epidemic: A qualitative study in China. Healthcare, 9(8), 1030.
  32. Ly, A., & Boll, L. (2024). Navigating Special Education Relationships: Building Collective Efficacy for a Collaborative Team. Taylor & Francis.
  33. MacLaren, C., Doyle, K. A., & DiGiuseppe, R. (2016). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT): Theory and practice. Contemporary Theory and Practice in Counseling and Psychotherapy, 1, 233–263.
  34. Mendelsohn, A., Greenberger, A., & Friedberg, R. D. (2024). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric Anxiety and Depression : Prevalence Data , Theoretical Synthesis , and Clinical Implications. 9(4), 328–337. https://doi.org/10.14218/ERHM.2024.00004
  35. Morton, B. M. (2018). The grip of trauma: How trauma disrupts the academic aspirations of foster youth. Child Abuse & Neglect, 75, 73–81.
  36. Ro’uf, A., Mu’ammar, M. A., & Chesoh, M. (2022). The Role of Individual and Group Counseling for Moral Coaching. Buletin Edukasi Indonesia, 1(02), 45–52. https://doi.org/10.56741/bei.v1i02.90
  37. Shah, K., Mann, S., Singh, R., Bangar, R., & Kulkarni, R. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents. Cureus, 12(8).
  38. Suparjan, S., & Mariyadi, M. (2021). Google classroom as a distance learning media: Limitations and overcoming efforts. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(1), 407–416.
  39. Taherdoost, H. (2016). Validity and reliability of the research instrument; how to test the validation of a questionnaire/survey in a research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 5.
  40. Tanveer, M., Bhaumik, A., Hassan, S., & Haq, I. U. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic, outbreak educational sector and students online learning in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Entrepreneurship Education, 23(3), 1–14.
  41. Terán, V. G., Velásquez, E. E., & Fuentes, M. A. (2020). Irrational thinking and psychological distress: A cross-racial/ethnic examination. Personality and Individual Differences, 164, 110102.
  42. Vernon, A. (2019). REBT with children and adolescents. REBT with Diverse Client Problems and Populations, 243–263.
  43. Wood, A. G., Barker, J. B., & Turner, M. J. (2017). Developing performance using rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT): A case study with an elite archer. The Sport Psychologist, 31(1), 78–87.
  44. Zeidner, M. (2014). Anxiety in education. In International handbook of emotions in education (pp. 265–288). Routledge.

Downloads

PDF

Statistic

Abstract Views
: 256 times
PDF
: 128 times