IMPACT OF ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY AND EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED THERAPY ON WORK ETHICS AMONG FEMALE TEACHERS WITH MARITAL INSTABILITY

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in enhancing work ethics among female primary school teachers experiencing marital instability in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. Marital instability, marked by persistent relational conflict, emotional detachment, and the threat of separation or divorce, often compromises teachers’ emotional well-being and professional conduct. Given the significant role of teachers in shaping educational outcomes, the study explored whether structured psychological interventions could mitigate the adverse effects of personal distress on occupational ethics. A quasi-experimental design involving pre-test, post-test, and control groups was adopted. Ninety (90) female teachers experiencing marital instability were purposively selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Participants were randomly assigned to either ACT, EFT, or a control group. Data were collected using standardized instruments: the Marital Instability Index and the Short Form Work Ethic Occupational Inventory (SFWEOI), with reliability indices of 0.90 and 0.92, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that both ACT and EFT significantly improved participants' work ethics compared to the control group. While ACT produced the highest post-test mean score, the difference between ACT and EFT was not statistically significant. These results suggest that both interventions are effective in enhancing professional behaviour and emotional regulation among female teachers facing relational challenges. The study concludes that ACT and EFT are valuable tools for promoting ethical engagement and resilience in educational professionals and recommends their integration into school-based counselling and teacher support programs.