The effect of rational-emotive behavior therapy on anxiety and resilience in students

Abstract

Abstract Background Adolescence and youth are important periods in the growth and excellence of an individual. Objectives Given the importance of the study, its purpose was to determine the effect of rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) on anxiety and resilience in students. Methods Students admitted to the counseling centers of Ilam University were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Using convenient sampling method, 30 subjects were selected and randomly assigned to either REBT tests or a control group (10 subjects in each). The 26 codes of ethics were observed in the study and the data were analyzed using SPSS17. Results Before the intervention, the anxiety score was 26.75 (4.43) and after the intervention it was 18 (4.403) (p < 0.05), but in the control group it was 31.34 (6.04) before the intervention and after the intervention it was 32.35 (5.17) (p > 0.05). Before the intervention, the anxiety score was 52.77 (13.37) and after the intervention it was 60.00 (14.31) (p < 0.05), but in the control group it was 47.00 (8.73) before the intervention and after the intervention it was 49.76 (9.10) (p > 0.05). Conclusions REBT was effective in students as it reduced anxiety and increased resilience. Thus, it is suggested for use in students’ care.