The study of cognitive – behavior training effectiveness on decreasing depresive symptoms in community therapy center resident addicts

• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Drug Control Headquarters, Research and Education Office 2009-02-01
• Series: Research on Addiction
• Subjects: Cognitive-behavior training; Depression; therapeutic community; addicts
• Online Access: http://www.etiadpajohi.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-372-132&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Objectives: Depression is one of the prevalent symptoms in addicts that are aversive during the dependency and withdrawal period, even its presence during recovery can lead to relapse. So, the present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on depression reduction in Tehran therapeutic community center resident addicts in 1385 according to this magnitude effect. Methods: Design of this research was pre-experimental with pretest- posttest design by control group. Instruments: Initial assessment was made on all of center residents with using the Beck questioner (1978), and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistic in SPSS. Afterwards 40 self-referred addicts who had depressive criteria were randomly selected to take part in this study. The subjects were randomly placed in two experimental (CBT, Control) groups. The experimental group received sixteen weekly sessions cognitive-behavioral training. Then post-test assessments were made. Finding: Findings of this research clearly showed the effectiveness of the cognitive-behavioral interventions in depressive symptoms reduction. So, when compared to the pre-test and control group which did not receive any interventions for the symptoms of depression, the group that received CBT did not show significant reduction in the intensity of symptoms. Discussion: The results show that psychological interventions in cognitive behavioral approach played a very crucial role in reducing depression in the addict's resident at the therapeutic community. Therefore, depression, that is one of the relapse risk factors, could be obviated and more success gained.