The Impact of Stress Inoculation Management Training on Negative Automatic Thoughts, Psychological Distress, and Cognitive Fusion among Students Preparing for University Entrance Exam

Abstract

Objective: One of the approaches that can lead to changes in reducing psychological distress, negative automatic thoughts, and cognitive fusion among students preparing for university entrance exam is stress inoculation management. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of stress inoculation management training on negative automatic thoughts, psychological distress, and cognitive fusion among students preparing for university entrance exam. Methods and Materials: This research is an applied study in nature and quasi-experimental in implementation, using a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The population consisted of all female students preparing for university entrance exam in Kermanshah in the year 2023. From this population, 60 participants were selected using a convenience sampling method into two experimental groups and one control group. The research tools included the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler et al., 2003), the Negative Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (Kendall & Hollon, 1980), and the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (Rachman & Shafran, 1996). Data analysis was performed using multivariate covariance analysis. Findings: The results indicated that the stress inoculation management intervention had a significant effect on the psychological distress of the students preparing for university entrance exam in the post-test phase (p<0.01). The intervention also significantly impacted negative automatic thoughts (p<0.01) and cognitive fusion (p<0.01) in the post-test evaluations. Conclusion: Stress inoculation management training is effective in impacting negative automatic thoughts, psychological distress, and cognitive fusion among students preparing for university entrance exam.