Effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy Program Utilizing Literature for Mental Health of Menopausal Women

Abstract

Background: This study aims to investigate the effects of the REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) program using literatures on the self-esteem, ego-resilience, perceived stress, body image, depression, state anger, anger expression, and aging anxiety on the mental health of menopausal women. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study of non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Prior to the study, four menopausal women were selected for a pilot study, and the four-session program was practiced. Based on the results, the REBT program utilizing literature for the mental health of menopausal women was conducted in the public cultural center in C city, Chungnam, semiweekly, during 90∼120 minutes per session, over 10 sessions for five weeks, from February to April 2018. The subjects were 48 menopausal women aged 45∼60 years. Of these, 24 subjects in the experimental group, and 24 subjects in the control group were intentionally sampled. The collected data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, χ-test, independent t-test, and paired t-test using SPSS 21.0. Results: There were statistically significant differences in self-esteem, ego-resilience, body image, depression, state anger, anger expression, and aging anxiety between the two groups. Conclusions: The results confirmed that the REBT program utilizing literature for mental health of menopausal women improved the self-esteem and ego-resilience of women and was effective in reducing perceived stress, negative body image, depression, state anger, anger expression, and aging anxiety.