The Effectiveness of Cognitive Reframing Therapy and Motivational Interviewing on the Promotion of COVID-19 Awareness and Health-Behaviours in Ibadan

This study investigated the effects of cognitive reframing therapy and motivational interviewing on the promotion of COVID-19 awareness and health-behaviours in Ibadan, Nigeria. Five (5) null hypotheses guided the work. Quasi-experimental design involving pre-test, post-test, control group with two experimental and one control groups was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised sixty (60) identified/observed participants with non-adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviours: irregular disuse of face mask, lack of regular handwashing, risk behaviours/exposure to close contacts, lack of social and physical distance. The purposive sampling procedure was used in selecting 60 samples and was grouped into treatments and control. A self-report questionnaire on COVID-19 knowledge and adherence to safety measures developed by Hanawi, Angawi, Alshareef, Ameerah et al (2020) was utilized in this study. The ANCOVA statistical tool was used to test five hypotheses raised at 0.005 alpha level of significance. The findings revealed that both cognitive reframing therapy and motivational interviewing are effective in the promotion of COVID-19 awareness and health-behaviours of participants. Comparing the two modalities, both were effective (p =0.821) in promoting COVID-19 awareness and health-behaviours among residents of Ibadan, Nigeria. The result found no significant differential effect of cognitive reframing therapy in the promotion of COVID-19 awareness and health-behaviours of Ibadan residents (p = 0.379), no significant differential effect of motivational interviewing in the promotion of COVID-19 awareness and health-behaviours of Ibadan residents (p = 0.391). The researcher recommended that the government should endeavour to engage the public more extensively using a much closer medium rather than through the media. It was also recommended that urgent psychological facilities, equipped with seasoned professionals be structured in local government areas towards effective management of psychological well-being, resistant attitudes to preventive measures, and general health-behaviour advancement. The study furthered to recommend that authorities should consider providing enough palliatives to the most vulnerable population and subsidize crumbled businesses for effective recovery and adjustment.