Effect of a cognitive behavioural intervention on depression reduction among community-dwelling adult learners in Nigeria: Implications for adult education administration

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to determine the effect of a cognitive behavioural intervention (CBI) on depression among community-dwelling adult learners in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a 10-week randomized control trial. Participants were 82 community-dwelling adult learners with depression. The Beck Depression Inventory-II was used for data collection. Data were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The initial results showed that the participants in both the treatment group and the usual care control group had severe depression. After 10 weeks of the CBI, there was a significant reduction in depression among adult learners in the treatment group compared with those in the usual care control group. The follow-up assessment indicated a further significant reduction in depression among participants in the treatment group compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The CBI was effective in reducing depression among community-dwelling university adult learners in Nigeria.