Effect of psycho education on attitude to drug addiction in patients with opioid dependency

Addiction is a community problem, which has a negative effect on mental health and huge burden on society. Previous studies clarify the role of substance abuser attitude on addiction.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of psycho education on attitude to drug addiction in patients with opioid dependency. Total 40 patients (age18-45 years old), who have been referred to the addiction outpatient clinic from October 2008 to January. 2008 of study included in this study. Those patients who satisfied the DSM-IV TR criteria of opium dependency and were being detoxified with methadone were selected. The selected patients were exposed to psycho education for 4 weeks, 2-hour each. Then, their attitude toward addiction before and after intervention and the demographic data have been evaluated. The differences in the mean score of attitude before and after intervention (272.9 ±32.71scor vs. 274.338 ±27.87 scor, respectively), was not significant (P=0.7). The result of this study showed that 8-hour psycho education (in four weeks), was not significantly effective on the attitude. Therefore, it is recommended to add psycho education to other type of psychotherapy.