The Comparison of Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy Based on Coping Skills and Methadone Maintenance Treatment in Improvement of Emotional Regulation Strategies and Relapse Prevention

• Main Authors: Tahereh Ghorbany, Shahram Mohamad Khany, Gholamreza Saramy
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Drug Control Headquarters, Research and Education Office 2011-05-01
• Series: Research on Addiction
• Subjects: substance abuse; cognitive-behavior therapy; methadone maintenance treatment; emotional regulation
• Online Access: http://www.etiadpajohi.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-372-75&slc_lang=en&sid=1
• ISSN: 2008-4307; 2423-6535

Purpose: This study compared the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral therapy based on coping skills (CBT) and methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in improvement of emotional regulation strategies and prevention of relapse. Method: The method of the present study was semi-experimental research design (pre-test-post-test with witness group). For sampling 45 substance abuse people who had referred to addiction treatment centers were selected and assigned to three groups of cognitive behavior therapy, methadone maintenance treatment and witness group randomly. The participants in all three groups completed the emotional intelligence questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed by covariance method. Results: The results showed that cognitive-behavior therapy in comparison to methadone maintenance therapy and witness group led to significant improvement of emotional regulation in substance abusers, but there was no significant difference between the methadone maintenance treatment group and control group. Also, the rate of relapse in individuals who assigned to cognitive-behavior therapy group in comparison to methadone maintenance therapy and the witness group was significantly lower, but there was no significant difference between methadone therapy and witness. Conclusion: Cognitive-behavior therapy was an effective treatment that can change the cognitive and behavioral variables related to substance abuse, such as emotional regulation strategies. Thus, results suggested that drug abuse treatment programs must target these mediator variables.