Impacts of cognitive-behavioral intervention on anxiety and depression among social science education students: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a common disorder which refers to a significant and persistent fear of one or more social or performance situations. This study investigated the impacts of cognitive-behavioral intervention on anxiety and depression among undergraduate students enrolled in social science education programs at public universities in the Southeast Nigeria. METHODS: Participants were 55 undergraduate students enrolled in social science education programs at public universities in the Southeast Nigeria. The adequacy of the sample size used was determined using GPower software. Cognitive-behavioral treatment manuals on anxiety and depression were used to deliver the intervention. Data analyses were completed using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Results indicated a significant positive impact of cognitive-behavioral intervention on anxiety and depression among social science education students exposed to the cognitive-behavioral intervention when compared to the waitlisted group. Results also showed that there was a significant time × group interaction for anxiety and depression. Follow-up tests showed that significant reduction in anxiety and depression persisted after 3 months for the cognitive-behavioral intervention group in comparison to the waitlisted control group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that cognitive-behavioral intervention was a successful intervention which decreased the symptoms of anxiety and depression in social science education students who participated in the study. Additional studies are recommended to further corroborate the influence of cognitive-behavioral intervention in the reduction of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the Nigerian undergraduate student population.