Efficacy of rational emotive digital storytelling intervention on knowledge and risk perception of HIV/AIDS among schoolchildren in Nigeria

Background: This investigation was aimed at determining the efficacy of a rational emotive digital storytelling (REDStory) therapy on knowledge and perception of risk of HIV/AIDS among schoolchildren in Enugu State, Nigeria. Methods: The researchers adopted a group randomized controlled trial design involving a pretest, posttest, and follow-up design involving a treatment group and a waiting-list control group. Participants were 80 junior secondary schoolchildren attending public and private schools who met the criteria for inclusion in the sample of this study. The REDStory intervention program lasted for 8-week duration of REDStory therapy. The HIV Knowledge Questionnaire and the Perceived Risk of HIV Scale (PRHS) were used for data collection for this study. Repeated measures analysis of variance and t test were used for data analysis. Results: The results revealed that REDStory therapy had a significant effect in increasing knowledge level and perceived risk of HIV among schoolchildren compared to those in waitlisted control group. Lastly, the positive benefits of this study were significantly sustained by the treatment group at the follow-up. Conclusion: The current study therefore suggests the use of REDStory therapy in increasing knowledge and perception of risk of HIV/AIDS among schoolchildren in Enugu Nigeria.