Effect of Rational-Emotive Distress Management Intervention on Work-Related Emotional Distress among Primary Healthcare Workers

Emotional distress is associated with irrational beliefs, psychopathological conditions, and maladaptive behaviors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of rational-emotive distress management intervention -REDMI on work-related emotional distress among primary healthcare workers -PHCWs in Nigeria. A pretest-posttest randomized control group design was adopted by the investigators. Using convenient sampling procedure, 52 PHCWs were studied. These participants were assigned to either treatment (n=26) or control (n=26) groups respectively. Only the treatment group received rational-emotive distress management intervention. The profile of emotional distress –PED (internal consistency=0.94) was used for the pretest and posttest data collection. The IBM SPSS version 22 was employed for all statistical data analysis. The study participants in treatment group scored lower (10.87±2.63) in the posttest measure when compared to pretest scores (18.24±2.88). This implied that REDMI was effective in managing work-related emotional distress in a sample of primary healthcare workers in Nigeria. The REDMI is effective in managing work-related emotional distress among PHCWs in Nigeria. Professionals and experts in emotional health are therefore encouraged to adopt management intervention programs such as REDMI in helping workers and clients to manage emotional distress.Emotional distress is associated with irrational beliefs, psychopathological conditions, and maladaptive behaviors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of rational-emotive distress management intervention -REDMI on work-related emotional distress among primary healthcare workers -PHCWs in Nigeria. A pretest-posttest randomized control group design was adopted by the investigators. Using convenient sampling procedure, 52 PHCWs were studied. These participants were assigned to either treatment (n=26) or control (n=26) groups respectively. Only the treatment group received rational-emotive distress management intervention. The profile of emotional distress –PED (internal consistency=0.94) was used for the pretest and posttest data collection. The IBM SPSS version 22 was employed for all statistical data analysis. The study participants in treatment group scored lower (10.87±2.63) in the posttest measure when compared to pretest scores (18.24±2.88). This implied that REDMI was effective in managing work-related emotional distress in a sample of primary healthcare workers in Nigeria. The REDMI is effective in managing work-related emotional distress among PHCWs in Nigeria. Professionals and experts in emotional health are therefore encouraged to adopt management intervention programs such as REDMI in helping workers and clients to manage emotional distress.