EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN MANAGING CAREER ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: EVIDENCE FROM A UNIVERSITY-BASED STUDY

Abstract

Career anxiety, a future-oriented psychological distress linked to occupational uncertainty, is increasingly prevalent among undergraduate students yet, there exist a limited application of cognitive and mindfulness-based interventions for career-related anxiety in Nigerian universities. This study evaluated the efficacy of Cognitive Restructuring (CR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in reducing career anxiety among University of Ibadan undergraduates, with socio-economic status (SES) and parental support as moderating variables. Grounded in Beck and Clark's (1997) Cognitive Model of Anxiety and Bandura's (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, the study adopted a quasi-experimental design with 3×3×3 factorial matrix employed 81 participants exhibiting high career anxiety, measured using the Career Anxiety Inventory. Participants were randomly assigned to CR (n=27), MBCT (n=27), or control group (n=27). Intervention groups received eight sessions of training. SES and parental support were assessed using validated scales. Data were analysed using ANCOVA with pre-intervention scores as covariates. Results revealed significant main effects for intervention, F(2,53)=6.43, p=0.003, partial η²=0.196, and parental support, F(2,53)=4.92, p=0.011, partial η²=0.157, indicating both CR and MBCT effectively reduced career anxiety compared to controls. Higher parental support independently reduced anxiety. However, SES showed no significant effect (p=0.360), nor did any interactions (p>0.05). Findings demonstrate the efficacy of cognitive and mindfulness-based interventions as stand-alone tools and highlight parental support’s protective role. This study provides valuable evidence for culturally grounded interventions in Nigerian higher education, advocating for structured psychological programming and family engagement in student mental health services.