The effect of solution-focused brief therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy on psychological functioning of trainee-nurses in Ledzokuku Greater-Accra

Abstract

This study assessed psychological functioning in four domains among trainee-nurses, examining the effectiveness of the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in enhancing students’ psychological well-being. The research utilized a randomized experimental design with imperfect control group due to real-world constraints. With this pretest-posttest randomized control group design, sixty participants were purposively chosen based on their OQ45.2 scores and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. After eight sessions of therapy, the study found that nursing-trainees experienced Symptoms Distress, Interpersonal Relationship, Risk and Social Role challenges similarly no matter their intimacy status. Whether they are single and searching for a partner, single but not searching for a partner, in a relationship but not yet married or are married, did not make a difference in their psychological functioning. Similarly, gender made no difference in psychological functioning. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the trainee-nurses were females. The average age of the trainee-nurses was 19 years which means that most of them were emerging adults. More than half of the population (58%) were in relationship. The therapies were statistically and clinically significant in reducing poor psychological functioning, meaning that therapy improved overall well-being in the four domains. Solution-focused Brief Therapy more significantly reduced Interpersonal Relationship challenges, whilst Cognitive Behaviour Therapy had the greatest effect in reducing incidents of Symptom Distress, Risk and Social Role challenges. Regular psychological assessment and therapy is recommended as part of the nursing training curriculum with SFBT and CBT deemed suitable for improving trainee-nurses’ psychological functioning.