RESUMEN
PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) counseling program on self-efficacy and adjustment to college life for nursing freshmen. METHODS: This study used a nonequivalent control pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Thirty-eight new nursing students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=18) or a control group (n=20) recruited from a four-year nursing college. An REBT counseling program was composed of 8 group sessions of orientation, understanding the theory of REBT, finding irrational beliefs, internalizing rational beliefs, and closing over a duration of 5 weeks. The duration of each session was 90 minutes. Self-efficacy and adjustment to school life were measured by the Sherer's Self-Efficacy Scale and Baker & Siryk's Student Adjustment to College before and after the REBT counseling program. Data were analyzed using t-tests and paired t-tests. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant improvement in self-efficacy compared to the control group. There was no significant change in college life adjustment between the experimental and control groups. CONCLUSION: An REBT counseling program could be applied as an effective program in enhancing self-efficacy resulting in positive and goal-oriented behavior for new nursing students in college.