IMPACT OF RATIONAL EMOTIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (REBT) ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SUICIDAL IDEATION AND DEPRESSIVE TENDENCY AMONG INMATES IN CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN NSUKKA EDUCATION ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The problem of ineffective and inefficient rehabilitation of inmates as well as in reducing their high rates of unprecedented unwholesome behaviors informed this study. Two research questions were answered and two hypotheses were tested. The study was a quasi-experimental study that adopts pre-test and posttest control group design. The treatment session lasted for a period of 12 weeks representing 24 sessions. The study was able to identify 35 inmates with depressive tendencies and suicidal ideation. Out of the 35 consent forms distributed to 35 inmates with depressive tendencies and suicidal ideation, 20 consent forms were returned showing interest in the study. Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS) developed in 1991 with a self-report of 21 items was used for data collection with reliability ranging from α = .87 to α = .89 across samples. The Center for Epidemiology Study Depression Scale (CES-D) with 20items developed by Radloff (1977) was used to measure depression of any population of people. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of 0.88 was computed for CES-D through Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was found that Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) significantly improved the management of suicidal ideation and depressive tendency among inmates in correctional centers. It was concluded that REBT has been found to be significant in handling behaviuoral problems as well as in improving the management of suicidal ideation and depressive tendency among inmates in correctional centers. It was recommended that inmates should be given close monitoring by their supervisors and warders in order to emancipate them from self defeating perception, thoughts and feeling that could endanger their emotion. Counseling-psychologists and religious leaders should make it a point of duty to be rekindling hope freedom, future and belongingness.