Fehintola, 2026

This study investigated the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) on psycho-emotional exhaustion among frustrated job seekers with gender and social support as moderating variables in the Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria. The study became imperative as prolonged unemployment has transcended economic hardship to become a major psycho-emotional crisis characterized by emotional draining, frustration, cynicism and hopelessness, which conventional job placement programmes fail to address. A quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test control group design with 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. The population comprised frustrated job seekers who have been unemployed for at least 36 months post-graduation. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 90 participants who scored high on Frustration Discomfort Scale and PsychoEmotional Exhaustion Scale and were randomly assigned to ACT group (n=30), MBI group (n=30) and control group (n=30). Validated instruments including Frustration Discomfort Scale (Harrington, 2005), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Emotional Exhaustion Subscale adapted for job seekers (Maslach & Jackson, 1981), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet et al., 1988) and a demographic form were used. Two 8-week intervention manuals based on Hayes et al. (2006) and Kabat-Zinn (1990) were implemented, with treatment fidelity ensured. Data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The results indicated that the main effects of treatment F (2,77) =18.45, p<.05, gender F (1,77) = 6.23, p<.05 and social support F (1,77) = 11.07, p<.05 were all significant on psycho-emotional exhaustion. ACT and MBI were effective in significantly reducing psycho-emotional exhaustion compared to control, with female job seekers and those with low social support reporting higher exhaustion. It was concluded that psycho-emotional exhaustion among frustrated job seekers is psychologically treatable and is influenced by gender and availability of social support. The study recommended that the National Directorate of Employment, counselling psychologists and NGOs should integrate ACT and MBI into unemployment counselling programmes, adopt gender-sensitive and socially inclusive support systems, and establish job seeker support clinics for early screening and intervention.