Comparison of alexithymia scale and stress coping strategies in addicts under methadone treatment and those without treatment programs

Emotional deficiency and applying various methods against alexithymia due to addiction, have rarely been studied. The present study aimed at comparing the indices of emotional deficiency and applying various methods against alexithymia in addicts under methadone treatment and those lacking such a treatment.
The current study was a causal-comparative (ex post facto) one using alexithymia and coping with stress scales. Patients under methadone (n=55) treatment and addicts without treatment programs (n=55) were selected through available sampling. Data analysis was performed using independent t-test and descriptive indicators at the significant level of P≤0.05.
Mean scores of emotional deficiency in the addicts lacking a treatment programme and those under treatment with methadone was 127.80±5.2 and 98.1±3.9, respectively. Independent t-test showed that the mean difference in the overall scale and in the subscales of emotional deficiency and comparative variables was significant (P It was found that patients under treatment with methadone have a better condition regarding their emotional feeling and apply more appropriate approaches against alexithymia.