Effects of cognitive restructuring counselling on stress and coping of re-entry senior high school teenage mothers in Birim- South and Central Municipalities

Abstract

Re-entry teenage mothers in Ghana frequently encounter considerable stress as a result of their dual responsibilities of parenting and academic pursuits. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of stress, the coping mechanisms employed, and the efficacy of cognitive restructuring counselling in alleviating stress among teenage mothers attending Senior High Schools in the Birim South and Central Municipalities. This study used the quasi-experimental design with 33 re-entry teenage mothers. Tools used in data collection included the Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-10, the Brief COPE Inventory, and the School Adjustment Inventory. Paired t-tests, ANOVA, and MANOVA were used to analyze stress levels, coping mechanisms, and cognitive restructuring counselling. The data analytic tool used was the R software. It was found that 72.7% of respondents reported high stress before the intervention, with a mean PSS-10 score of 22.8. After the intervention, the mean stress score significantly decreased to 9.73 (p < 0.001). Positive coping strategies increased, such as positive reframing and active coping, while negative coping strategies, such as denial and selfblame, decreased. There was a significant association between stress and emotional and educational adjustment after intervention: F = 35.52, p < 0.001, F = 29.45, p < 0.001, respectively. High levels of stress prevailed among the re-entry teenage mothers in the municipalities during the study. Cognitive restructuring counseling has helped reduce stress and improved adaptive coping strategies. Educational institutions should provide professional counselling services, flexible scheduling, orientation, and peer support programmes. Future studies should use a longitudinal design and incorporate both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess these interventions’ long-term maintenance and effectiveness. Keywords: Re-entry teenage mothers, stress, coping strategies, cognitive restructuring counselling, school adjustment, Ghana.