Effect of Hope-Focused Psychotherapy on Psychological Distress among Pregnant Teenagers in the Ibadan Metropolis: The Moderating Role of Health Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of Hope-Focused Psychotherapy on psychological distress among pregnant teenagers in the Ibadan metropolis and the moderating role of health self-efficacy. Psychological distress, comprising depression, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness, is highly prevalent among pregnant adolescents due to developmental, social, and economic challenges. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was adopted. A total of 59 pregnant teenagers aged 13–19 years were selected through multistage sampling. Participants were assigned to treatment and control groups, while health self-efficacy was classified as high and low. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and Health Self-Efficacy Scale were used for data collection. Data were analysed using ANCOVA at 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that Hope-Focused Psychotherapy significantly reduced psychological distress among participants, F_(2,38) = 50.422, p < .05, η² = .726, indicating a large effect size. Health self-efficacy had no significant main effect on psychological distress, F_(1,38) = 0.025, p = .874, η² = .001. Similarly, no significant interaction effect was found between treatment and health self-efficacy, F_(2,38) = 0.586, p = .562, η² = .030. The findings suggest that Hope-Focused Psychotherapy is highly effective in reducing psychological distress among pregnant teenagers irrespective of their level of health self-efficacy. The study concludes that structured hope-based interventions can substantially improve emotional well-being in this population. It is recommended that Hope-Focused Psychotherapy be integrated into antenatal care services for adolescents and that healthcare providers be trained in its application.