Effects of a Narrative Therapy Training Program Utilizing MetaverseZEP for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a narrative therapy training program using MetaverseZEP on attitudes toward severe mental illness, counselor self-efficacy, and emotional exhaustion in psychiatric mental health nurses. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants included 47 psychiatric mental health nurses. The program consisted of 14 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, conducted over four weeks (three to four sessions per week). Its effectiveness was assessed using pre-test, post-test, and follow-up test with the Attitudes to Severe Mental Illness Scale, Counselor Self-Efficacy Scale, and Emotional Exhaustion Scale. Data were analyzed using x2 tests, Fisher’s exact probability test, t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA in IBM SPSS Statistics 25. Results: Participants in the experimental group showed significant improvements in attitudes toward severe mental illness (F=3.29, <i>p</i>=.047) and counseling self-efficacy (F=7.14, <i>p</i>=.002) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The narrative therapy training program using MetaverseZEP effectively enhances counselor self-efficacy and attitudes toward severe mental illness in psychiatric mental health nurses. These findings suggest its potential as a valuable nurse training program.