EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF RUMINATION FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (RFCBT) IN COPING STRATEGIES, RUMINATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG ADULTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The current study was designed to explore the difference in the level of coping strategies, rumination and psychological distress among adults by the implication of Rumination Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (RFCBT). It was hypothesized that rumination will be reduced after application of the therapy. Secondly, it was hypothesized that coping strategies will be improved. Thirdly, it was hypothesized that psychological distress will decrease after application of intervention. After screening a population of 100 adult participants, 60 participants (having high scores on rumination scale) were allocated to experimental and control groups, using randomization. Training and techniques of RFCBT were applied to experimental group. And the control group didn’t receive any treatment. Research was conducted in pre, post and follow-up phases. Assessments were done in all these phases using Self Critical Rumination Scale (Smart, L. M., Peters, J. R., & Baer, R. A. 2016), Brief COPE Inventory (Carver et al. 1997) and Kessler Psychological Distress scale (Kessler et al., 2002). Analysis including Descriptive statistics, Reliability Analysis, Paired Sample T test, Multivariate Analysis of variance and Post Hoc Analysis of variance was carried out. All the hypotheses were proved with significance in the results. Results of the study showed that there was a highly significant difference in pre, post and follow-up scores of experimental groups on all variables (Rumination, Problem Focused Coping, Emotion Focused Coping and Avoidant Coping) after application of intervention. There was significant difference in the score on all the variables for the control group. The results of the experimental and controls groups showed that this intervention in successful in reducing rumination, improving coping strategies and reducing psychological distress in adults. This study is itself the first attempt to implement Rumination Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy to study the levels of Coping strategies, Rumination and Psychological distress, and may have important implications in mental health programs in society.