Effect of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in Enhancing Psychological Well-Being among Orphan Girls

1Introduction

Psychological wellbeing is one’s level of psychological happiness/health, encompassing life satisfaction and feelings of accomplishment. Psychological wellbeing encompasses the person’s perspective on life, including not only perceptions of physical health but also of self-esteem, self-efficacy, relationships with others and satisfaction with life. Psychological wellbeing has a significant relationship with physical and mental health. Psychological wellbeing is one’s level of psychological happiness/health, encompassing life satisfaction and feelings of psychological wellbeing the person’s perspective on life, including not only perceptions of physical health but also of self-esteem, self-efficacy, relationships with others and satisfaction with life.

if a person has the level of social interaction desired, psychological wellbeing is expected to be higher. If an individual has fewer close friends than desired, psychological wellbeing will be lower. Social relationships and social interactions are often found in exercise and sport settings. Feelings of accomplishment and potential attainment of an individual’s potential is also related to psychological wellbeing. Once individual reached his/her potential in one or more of life’s domains, psychological wellbeing will be expected to be higher. Psychological wellbeing may be tied to satisfaction with life.

Yoga therapy helps the patient to reduce or eliminate the behavior and thinking patterns that are contributing to his/her suffering and to replace dysfunctional patterns of behavior and thought with patterns that promote health and psychological wellbeing. Studies affirms the efficacy of yoga therapy in treating depression reducing anxiety symptoms and enhancement of emotional intelligence (Jayanthi Rani and Gayathri Devi, 2014).

Yoga therapy is a popular treatment for a number of common mental health problems, including mild to moderate depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia and bulimia nervosa. Yoga therapy helps patients reduce or eliminate thinking styles and behavior patterns that contribute to suffering. Typically, a therapist and patient work together to replace dysfunctional patterns with those that promote health and wellbeing. Yoga therapy is a relatively short-term treatment that may be administered effectively to individuals, couples, families or groups (Cox and D’Oyley, 2011).

A study conducted in the early 1990s exploring the relationship between wellbeing and aspects of positive functioning. Ryff’s model indicates that individuals, who aspired more for financial success relative to affiliation with others or their community score lower on various measures of psychological wellbeing.

2Research methodology

Orphanage brings special pressures, unique upsets and profound biological changes They are likely to experience the stress of loss of parents, friends and former activities. Orphanage individuals are not psychologically wellbeing. They are unable to meet the requirements of their day-to-day life activities. Aim of the study is to find out the effect of yoga therapy in enhancing emotional intelligence among Orphanage girl students. Objectives of the study is that Orphanage girl students are suffering from physical, mental, emotional and sociological and behavioural issues during their stay at orphanage homes. Once it is identified at an early stage, they are helped in enhancing their emotional intelligence and be successful in their academics through yoga therapy. Mental health and emotional wellbeing are as important in orphanage girls students. The present study is an attempt in this direction.

2.1Hypotheses

• H_a: Yoga therapy is effective in enhancing psychological wellbeing among Orphanage girl students.
• H_a: Experimental group is faster in enhancing various dimensions of psychological wellbeing such as Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive relations with others, Purpose in life and Self-acceptance through intervention.

2.2Tool for the study

Ryff (1989) developed Psychological Wellbeing Scale to assess Psychological wellbeing among old age persons. This test assesses six measures of psychological wellbeing such as Autonomy, Personal Growth, Environmental Mastery, Positive relations with others, Purpose in life and Self-acceptance. It is a 7-point Rating Scale (1- Strongly Agree; 2 – Somewhat Agree; 3- A little Agree; 4- Neither Agree nor Disagree; 5 – A little Disagree; 6- Somewhat Disagree; 7- Strongly Disagree). It has 18 statements. It usually takes 30 minutes to complete the test.

Scoring. The minimum score is 18. The maximum score is 126. The statements Q1,Q2,Q3,Q8,Q9,Q11,Q12,Q13,Q17 and Q18, which are the total 10 in number , should be reversed- scored. The remaining 10 statements numbered such as Q4,Q5,Q6, Q7,Q10, Q14,Q15 and Q16 are scored straight as it is. The items in each aspect will be scored separate, the raw scores constitute total scores for each aspect.

• The Autonomy subscale items are Q15, Q17 and Q18.
• The Environmental Mastery subscale are Q4, Q8 and Q9.
• The Personal Growth subscale items are Q11, Q12 and Q14.
• The Positive Relations with Others subscale items are Q6, Q13 and Q16.
• The Purpose in Life subscale items are Q3, Q7 and Q10.
• The Self-acceptance subscale items are Q1, Q2 and Q5.

Higher the score greater the psychological wellbeing. Lower the score poor psychological wellbeing.

2.3Sampling design

500 well-motivated orphanage girl students, age ranging from 15-18 years of age, residing at Orphanage Home, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, are administered Psychological Wellbeing Scale. They are able to read and understand the statements in the scale. Out of 500 orphanage girl students, 300 students are normal and symptomatic. 200 students are suffering from poor psychological wellbeing. Out of 200 students, are randomly allotted to control and experimental group 60 students in each group for the present study. Control group will not be exposed to any intervention. Whereas experimental group is exposed to yoga therapy once in a day, between 4 to 6 pm, for six months. Both the samples are administered with psychological wellbeing Scale before and after management. Follow up are conducted one month after posttest to see the effect of sustenance of psychological wellbeing through yoga therapy among Orphanage girl students.

2.4Statistics

Data were analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences, 21 Version for testing the hypotheses and drawing the conclusions.

The frequency distribution of the sample and the sample characteristics are given in Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 1 and 2.

Psychological wellbeing	Number	Percentage (%)
Normal	300	60
Poor	200	40
Total	500	100

Psychological wellbeing	Control	Experimental
Low	60	60

Tables 1 and 2 and Figures 1 and 2 show frequency distribution and Sample characteristics of the study. The control group of 60 orphanage girl students is matched with the experimental group of 60 orphanage girl students on the dependent variable, with low psychological wellbeing. Random sampling method is adopted for the selection of sample from 200 low psychological wellbeing orphanage girl students.

A descriptive statistics and mixed model factorial ANOVA are used to analyze differences over time and between the two categories of Orphanage girl students such as control orphanage girl students and experimental orphanage girl students. For analyzing the data Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 21 is used.

3Results and discussion

Descriptive statistics for the orphanage girl students on psychological wellbeing are presented below and discussed along with the results of the mean, SD and factorial analysis of variance (Tables 3 and 4 and Figure 3).

Test phase	Group	Mean	SD	Significance
Pretest	Control	35	7	NS
	Experimental	35	5
Posttest	Control	35	4	P < 0.0001*
	Experimental	115	18
Follow-up	Control	35	7	P < 0.0001*
	Experimental	118	4

NS, not significant; *significant.

Test phase	Source	Sum of squares	df	Mean square	F-value	P-value
Pretest	Between groups	3.921	1	3.921	1.4558	NS
	Within groups		119
Posttest	Between groups	193442.7	1	193442.7	7648.10	<0.0001*
	Within groups	3209.17	119	17.19
Follow-up	Between groups	208000.13		208000.13	12978.54	<0.0001*
	Within groups	1758.77	119

NS, not significant; *significant.

Tables 3 and 4 and Figure 3 show Psychological Wellbeing Scale overall mean raw score and Sd of control Vs. experimental girl students over three phases of training. The calculated F-value at pretest (1.4558) is lower than the tabular value. Hence, the sample selected for the study is a homogeneous sample. Both the groups of Orphanage girl students are poor on psychological wellbeing, hence, it is a homogeneous group with poor psychological wellbeing.

Posttest and follow-up analysis reveal that experimental group is high on overall psychological wellbeing, compared to the pretest.

With intervention, the experimental group is higher (p<0.0001) than the control group on Psychological wellbeing overall mean raw scores. This may be due to regular practice of yoga therapy.

Comparison of control and experimental group performance reveal that experimental group is high on various dimensions of psychological wellbeing such as Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive relations with others, Purpose in life and Self-acceptance.

With intervention, the experimental girl students are high on psychological wellbeing than the control girl students. This may be due to regular practice of yoga therapy. Orphanage girl students are high on psychological wellbeing after intervention. Orphanage girl students are independent in spending their time, they like autonomy in every wake of their life, understanding and having complete control over environment, interested in personal growth, maintains positive relationship with others at the orphanage home, having aim and goals in their life, accept themselves as they are and remain high in psychological wellbeing after intervention. They are emotionally matured and focus on the training very well. They are capable of handling their problems and problems of others.

The hypothesis (H_a) that “yoga therapy is effective in enhancing psychological wellbeing among orphanage girl students” is accepted. The findings of the present study are corroborated by the research studies of Ryff (1990), Cox and D’Oyley (2011) and Jayanthi Rani and Gayathri Devi (2014).

4Summary and conclusions

The purpose of the study is to explore the extent to which Yoga therapy helps Orphanage girl students to promote psychological wellbeing and mental health are administered Psychological Wellbeing Scale. 200 Orphanage girl students and age ranging from 15 - 18 years, are identified as suffering from low psychological wellbeing. Out of 200 girl students, 120 girl students are allotted randomly into control and experimental group, 60 in each group, constitute as a sample for the final study.

The findings of this investigation indicates that the yoga therapy aims in promoting psychological wellbeing and mental health among Orphanage girl students is successful in achieving its perceived intent. The psychological wellbeing is significantly enhanced in response to the intervention from the pretest phase to the posttest phase. There is a marginal increase in the performance of the girl students, subsequent to withdrawal of the intervention after six months at the follow-up phase. The Orphanage girl students can sustain the psychological wellbeing and mental health even for a long duration after intervention.

Yoga therapy is effective in promoting psychological wellbeing and mental health among Orphanage girl students. Significant difference observed are reported and discussed. Experimental group register a significant increase in psychological wellbeing and mental health after intervention.

4.1Conclusions

From the findings it is concluded that:

• Yoga therapy promotes psychological wellbeing and mental health among Orphanage girl students. Changes are much higher among experimental group than the control group.
• Experimental group Orphanage girl students are high on psychological wellbeing dimensions such as Autonomy, Personal growth, Environmental mastery, Purpose in Life, Positive relations with others and Self- acceptance.
• Also, the changes in the psychological wellbeing and mental health have been carried out for longer time duration, indicating that the real learning has taken place.
• Yoga therapy is the best method of therapeutic intervention for the sustenance of psychological wellbeing and mental health among Orphanage girl students.
• Orphanage girl students have achieved psychological wellbeing and mental health within the short span of time.
• Yoga therapy promotes psychological wellbeing, mental health, interpersonal relationship, positive outlook and positive emotional state with high stress tolerance, Autonomy, Personal growth, Environmental mastery, Purpose in Life, Positive relations with others and Self-acceptance as assessed through psychological test.
• This study strongly suggests that yoga therapy promotes psychological wellbeing and mental health, leading to success in the overall family life among Old age persons.
• Of all the techniques, practicing yoga therapy is the one of the best therapeutic techniques, in promoting psychological wellbeing and mental health. It is less time consuming and more economical way of maintaining psychological wellbeing and mental health among Orphanage girl students.

References

1. [1]Anbarasu J, Beemasri B (2026). Effect of acceptance and commitment therapy in enhancing psychological well-being among orphanage girls. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Horizon, 1(5).
2. [2]Beemasri B (2018). Self esteem and academic stress among higher secondary students. Paper presented at the International Seminar on Trends in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Annamalai University, 14–15 March 2018.
3. [3]Beemasri B (2024a). A study on effect of yogic practice on lung capacity in orphanage. Journal of Xidian University, 18(4).
4. [4]Beemasri B (2024b). Effect of yogic practices on emotional intelligence of orphan children. GIS Science Journal, 11(5).
5. [5]Beemasri B (2026). Improving psychology strength self efficacy of orphan adolescents through structure counselling and bibliotherapy. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 14(1), 3217–3230. https://doi.org/10.25215/1401.320
6. [6]Beemasri B, Anbarasu J (2025). Effectiveness of yoga therapy in enhancing emotional intelligence among orphanage adolescent girls. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 12(1).
7. [7]Beemasri B, Anbarasu J (2026). Effect of yoga on blood pressure and pulse rate among orphanage girls. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Horizon, 1(5).
8. [8]Cox D, D’Oyley H (2011). Cognitive-behavioral therapy with older adults. BC Medical Journal, 53(7), 348–352.
9. [9]Jayanthi Rani, Gayathri Devi (2014). Management of stress and depression and enhancement of general wellbeing in institutionalized elderly through cognitive behaviour therapy. PhD thesis, Avinashilingam Deemed University for Women.
10. [10]Ojala B, et al. A cognitive behavioural intervention programme to improve psychological wellbeing.