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Effect of Rational Digital Storytelling Intervention on Depression Among Adolescent-Athletes with Special Educational Needs

Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy volume 39, pages 217–237 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Depression is a major mental health issue among athletes. This study aimed to determine the effect of a rational digital storytelling intervention on depression among a sample of adolescent-athletes with special educational needs. Participants were sixty in-school adolescent-athletes with special educational needs (treatment group, n = 30, control group, n = 30) having moderate to severe depression. The treatment group participated in the rational digital storytelling intervention, over a twelve-week period whereas the control group was exposed to oral storytelling at precisely the same timeframe, with the meeting sessions holding 2 times weekly. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI II) and The Child and Adolescent Scale of Irrationality (CASI) were used for gathering data at 3-time points. Results suggest that exposure to a rational digital storytelling intervention brought about more considerable reduction in mean depression score among the adolescent-athletes in the experimental group when compared with the adolescent-athletes in the control group (t(59) = − 21.312, p = .001, effect size = 5.50). Follow-up results revealed more sustenance of the significant reduction in mean depression score of the adolescent-athletes in the experimental group when compared with the adolescent-athletes in the control group (t(59) = − 16.441, p = .001, effect size = 4.24).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Arts Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, P.M.B. 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Theresa Onyema Ofoegbu, Uche D. Asogwa & Chimaobi Samuel Ogbonna

  2. Department of Educational Foundations, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, P.M.B. 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Chiedu Eseadi, Michael Eskay, Ngozi O. Obiyo & Shulamite E. Ogbuabor

  3. Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, P.M.B. 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria

    Godfrey C. Nji & Oliver Rotachukwu Ngwoke

  4. Department of Sociology/Criminology and Security Studies, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

    Christian Iheanacho Agboti

  5. Department of Educational Foundation, Alex-Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

    Rowland C. Uwakwe

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  1. Theresa Onyema Ofoegbu
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  2. Uche D. Asogwa
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Ofoegbu, T.O., Asogwa, U.D., Eseadi, C. et al. Effect of Rational Digital Storytelling Intervention on Depression Among Adolescent-Athletes with Special Educational Needs. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 39, 217–237 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-020-00366-z

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Keywords

  • Depression
  • Rational digital storytelling intervention
  • Special needs students
  • Adolescent-athletes