The effect of rational‐emotive education on irrational thinking, subjective wellbeing and self‐efficacy of typically developing students and social acceptance of disabled students

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to assess the effects of rational‐emotive education on the rational thinking, subjective well‐being and self‐efficacy of typical students and their levels of social acceptance of disabled students in mainstream classrooms. Background Rational‐emotive education exercises can be important for eliminating typical students' problem behaviours, such as poor acceptance of disabled classmates, in mainstream classrooms. Method The study was conducted between 25 October 2017 and 17 January 2018 at two middle schools located in Ankara, Turkey. A quasi‐experimental design and nonequivalent control group were used. The research sample consisted of 212 typical students and 16 disabled students from the middle schools. A socio‐demographic questionnaire and the Irrational Beliefs Scale for Adolescents, Adolescent Subjective Well‐being Scale, General Self‐Efficacy Scale and Social Acceptance Scale were used to collect data. Students in the intervention group participated in a 12‐week rational‐emotive education programme. Results The results showed that, for the students who took part in the rational emotive‐education programme, there was a significant increase in subjective well‐being, self‐efficacy and social acceptance of peers with special needs, and a significant reduction in irrational beliefs, compared to those in the control group (p < 0.001). Social Validity Questionnaire, which was completed by the parents of the students with special needs to assess the social validity and the effects of the intervention, indicated that the rational‐emotive education programme provided a positive classroom atmosphere, which positively affected the disabled students. Conclusions The study results supported previous findings on rational‐emotive education, which has been adopted in Turkey and in the world as a humanistic approach. Rational‐emotive education can be used in mental and school health nursing to increase social acceptance of the disabled students, and to eliminate their social–emotional problems, and to create a positive classroom atmosphere for all students.

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