أثر برنامج إرشادي قائم على دحض الافكار في تنمية السكينة النفسية لدى طالبات الجامعة

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the effect of a counseling program based on disputing irrational thoughts on developing psychological serenity among female university students. This was investigated through testing the following null hypotheses: • There are no statistically significant differences at the (0.05) significance level between the ranks of the experimental group’s scores on the pre- and post-tests of the Psychological Serenity Scale. • There are no statistically significant differences at the (0.05) significance level between the ranks of the control group’s scores on the pre- and post-tests of the Psychological Serenity Scale. • There are no statistically significant differences at the (0.05) significance level between the ranks of the experimental and control groups’ scores on the post-test of the Psychological Serenity Scale. The present study was limited to female students at the University of Diyala during the academic year (2025–2026). To achieve the study objective and test its hypotheses, the researcher employed an experimental design consisting of an experimental group and a control group, with pre- and post-testing. The study population comprised (12,537) female students. A statistical sample of (400) female students was selected, while the sample to which the counseling program was administered consisted of (20) female students who demonstrated low levels of psychological serenity, with scores below the hypothetical mean of (66) points. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group and a control group, with (10) students in each group. Equivalence between the two groups was established with respect to selected variables, including their pre-test scores on the Psychological Serenity Scale. The researcher adopted the Psychological Serenity Scale developed by Roberts (1996), which was translated by Kneen (2023). The scale was based on Roberts’ (1996) theoretical framework for interpreting the concept of psychological serenity and consisted of (22) items. It was presented to a group of specialists in the fields of educational and psychological sciences, thereby establishing its face validity. Construct validity was also verified. Reliability was established using two methods: test–retest reliability, which yielded a coefficient of (0.83), and Cronbach’s alpha, which yielded a coefficient of (0.80). Furthermore, the researcher developed and implemented a counseling program based on the disputation of irrational thoughts, in accordance with Albert Ellis’s (1997) Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). The validity of the counseling program was verified by presenting it to a group of experts specializing in psychological counseling and educational guidance, thereby establishing its face validity. The program consisted of (10) counseling sessions, conducted at a rate of three sessions per week, with each session lasting (45) minutes. The researcher employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to statistically analyze the data. The results indicated that the counseling program based on disputing irrational thoughts had a significant effect on developing psychological serenity among female university students. In light of the findings of the present study, the researcher proposed a number of recommendations and suggestions.