The Effectiveness of Rational Emotional Counseling Program in Reducing the Depressive Symptoms Among Retired Individuals in Salfeet Governorate

Abstract

This study aims to identify the effectiveness of rational emotional counseling program in reducing the depressive symptoms among retired individuals in Salfeet Governorate. The study sample consists of (30) retired people with the highest scores in the depressive symptoms' reduction scale. The retired participants are distributed into two groups (control and experimental), with a total of (15) retirees in each group. The study uses the depression symptoms scale after verifying the psychometric properties, which is developed by the researcher in accordance with the Palestinian environment and study objectives, and then prepared a rational and emotional counseling program, in line with the Palestinian environment and the objectives of the study, The researcher also developes an emotional rational indicative program which he applies to the experimental group (11) sessions, each session consistes of (60) minutes. The results show no statistically significant differences between the averages of the pre-measurement reducing depressive symptoms among retired individuals in Salfeet Governorate according to the group variable (experimental and control). The results also show that there are statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the reducing depressive symptoms scale after the application of the program in favor of the experimental group. Furthermore, the results show statistically significant differences between the average scores of the experimental group on reducing depressive symptoms scale before and after the program is applied. and the existence of statistically significant differences between the average scores of the experimental group members on the reducing depressive symptoms scale after and the follow-up scale.