Investigating the Role of Moral Disengagement and Selfconcealment in Predicting Motivation for Substance Dependency Treatment

Motivation is the essential step in progressing the treatment goals in substancesrelated disorders. The current study was conducted to investigate the roles of moral disengagementand self-concealment in predicting treatment motivation in people with substance dependence. In this correlational study, 120 people were selected by the multistagerandom cluster sampling method from the population with substance dependency visiting Ardabilcenters of addiction treatment in the second half of 2015. The participants responded toquestionnaires of moral disengagement (Bandura et al.), self-concealment)Larson & Chastain(, andmotivation for treatment (Miller et al.). The gathered data were analyzedusing Pearson’s correlationcoefficient and multivariate regression test. The results showed that recognition had a negative correlation with the total scores of moraldisengagement and self-concealment (P<0.001). Ambivalence was negatively correlated with thetotal score of moraldisengagement and components of moral justification, advantageous comparison,responsibility diffusion, distorting consequences, and self-concealment (P<0.05). Steps taking wasalso negatively related to the total score of moral disengagement, moral justification, advantageouscomparison, responsibility displacement, responsibility diffusion, attribution of balm, and self-concealment (P<0.05). The results of multiple regression showed that 42% of variance inrecognition, 19% of variance in ambivalence, and 34% of variance in taking steps were explained bymoral disengagement and self-concealment. The results of this study demonstrated that moral disengagement and self-concealmentcan significantly predict motivation for treatment and readiness for change in drug dependentindividuals. The results of this study suggest the necessity of offering educational programs fordealing with moral disengagement strategies and self-concealment in order to increase treatmentmotivation in people with substance dependency