Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation training on reappraisal and Emotional Suppression in soldiers with opioid use disorder

The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of emotion regulation training based on Gross's model on the reappraisal and emotional Suppression in the soldiers with opioid use disorder. The design of the study was semi-experimental and has performed in a pretest-posttest format with a control group. All the soldiers who were under the methadone maintenance treatment at the medical clinic of Kerman Air Force Base were the population of the study. Using random sampling Method, 40 soldiers were recruited as the sample members and then divided into experiment and control groups accidentally. After separating the groups, the experimental group members received 8 sessions of emotion regulation training (90 minutes per a session) based on Gross's model. And, at last, posttest conducted for both group members again. The analysis of Covariance test was employed for the data analyzing. The result of the study indicated that, the emotion regulation training has been effective in increasing the reappraisal, and decreasing the emotional suppression in experiment group members. In regard to the findings of the present study, it can be conclude that, emotion regulation training, by increasing the adaptive strategies (reappraisal), and decreasing the maladaptive strategies of regulating the emotional experiences (suppression), is able to prepare a propitious condition for treatment of opioid use disorder.