RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (REBT) AS AN ANTIDOTE TO MATHEMATICAL ANXIETY

Monique Abongkeyung Newen

Abstract


This study investigated the effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) as an antidote to mathematics examination anxiety of secondary school students in Bamenda III subdivision. The study adopted the pre-test–post-test, control group, quasi-experimental study design. The instrument used was the Cameroonian version of Spielberger’s Test Anxiety Inventory. Students with scores ≥51 were considered to be test anxious. A total of 160 test anxious students were assigned to the experimental and control groups. The Experimental group was exposed to seven weeks training in the REBT, while participants in the control group were trained in Health Education. The result revealed a significant effect of therapy in the reduction of examination anxiety (F = 53.465; p < .000). The result suggested that the REBT treatment approach was a fruitful antidote in reducing examination anxiety of the students. It was therefore recommended that school counsellors in Cameroon should continuously update their skills in the use of the REBT to assist secondary school students to overcome their mathematics exam anxiety disorders.

Keywords


mathematics, examination anxiety, rational emotive behavioral therapy, antidote, students

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i6.6735

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