Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Quality of Life Improvement Training on Distress Tolerance and Self-Destructive Behaviors in Substance Abusers

Drug addiction is one of the most serious psychological, social, economic, and health hazards that needs prevention and treatment considering its serious consequences for the individual and human society. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and quality of life improvement training (QOLT) on distress tolerance and self-destructive behaviors in substance abusers.

This was a quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-test design and a control group. The statistical population included men over 20 years old referred to addiction treatment centers in Mashhad. The sample consisted of 45 volunteers who were selected by purposive sampling method and were divided into 3 groups (two experimental and one control group). Experimental groups received ACT and skills training based on the quality of life, while the control group did not receive any experimental intervention. The Distress Tolerance Scale (Simons and Gaher) and Self-destructive Behavior Questionnaire (Owens) were used as research tools in the study. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance using SPSS version 24.0 software.

The results of the analysis of covariance showed that the therapeutic methods used in this study were effective in improving distress tolerance and self-destructive behaviors in men with substance abuse (P < 0.001). Moreover, according to the Bonferroni follow-up test, there was no significant difference between the two treatments.

ACT and QOLT significantly improved distress tolerance and self-destructive behaviors in substance abusers.