فصلنامه اعتیاد پژوهی
پیاپی 66 (زمستان 1401)

The current research was conducted to determine the effectiveness of emotion regulation training on marital adjustment and feeling of loneliness in women with substance-dependent spouses.

The research was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all women with substance-dependent spouses referring to public counseling centers in the city of Yasuj. Among them, 32 women were selected by purposeful sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental (n= 16) and control (n=16) groups. The subjects of the experimental group received the emotional regulation training program for ten 90-minute sessions. Participants completed the social and emotional loneliness scale and the dyadic adjustment scale in the pre-test and post-test stages. The multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data.

The findings showed that after controlling the pre-test effect, the effect of emotion regulation training in the experimental group on marital adjustment and feeling of loneliness of women with substance-dependent spouses was significant. In other words, the results showed a significant decrease in feeling of loneliness and a significant increase in marital adjustment in the experimental group compared to the control group in the post-test.

Emotion regulation training is effective in increasing marital adjustment and reducing feeling of loneliness of women with substance-dependent spouses. The result of this research can be used in educational and therapeutic areas related to substance dependence and its consequences.

The present research aimed to determine the effectiveness of narrative therapy on cognitive flexibility and perceived burdensomeness in individuals with addictive tendencies.

The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The research statistical population included all individuals aged 18-35 years with addictive tendencies in the city of Ardabil in an addiction treatment camp in 2022. Among them, 24 people were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two 12-people experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups, and they responded to the cognitive flexibility scale and the interpersonal needs questionnaire. The experimental group received 6 narrative therapy sessions. The data were analyzed using multivariate covariance.

The results showed that the narrative therapy intervention was effective in increasing cognitive flexibility and reducing perceived burdensomeness in individuals with addictive tendencies.

The findings of this research provide useful information regarding the effectiveness of narrative therapy on addictive tendencies in individuals, and psychologists and counselors can use the narrative therapy intervention to increase and improve cognitive flexibility and reduce perceived burdensomeness in the rehabilitation of individuals with addictive tendencies.

The present research aimed at determining the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and craving in substance-dependent individuals under methadone maintenance treatment.

This research was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. Among the substance-dependent individuals under methadone treatment referring to addiction treatment centers in the city of Shahrood, 250 people were selected according to the exclusion and inclusion criteria through the convenience sampling method. The tools used in this research included the craving questionnaire, the early maladaptive schemas questionnaire, and the self-compassion scale. To analyze the research model, the structural equation modeling using AMOS-24 software was used.

The findings showed that early maladaptive schemas directly and significantly affected craving, and self-compassion had a significant mediating role in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and craving. Overall, the results showed that the model had a good fit.

The obtained results show that the individuals at risk of relapse had early maladaptive schemas, and considering that these schemas are formed in the early years of life and play a major role in individuals’ vulnerability, it is recommended that maladaptive schemas be paid attention to in planning preventive methods and also in treatment programs for substance-dependent individuals. Therefore, both variables of early maladaptive schemas and self-compassion play an important role in craving. Thus, paying attention to these variables is of particular importance in reducing craving.

The current study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of computerized cognitive rehabilitation in improving response inhibition and working memory in adolescents with tendency to substance use.

The research method was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The study population included all 15-18-year-old adolescents living in Tabriz, of whom 30 people were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The subjects of the experimental group received the computerized cognitive rehabilitation program for twelve 30-minute sessions. The research tool included the adolescents’ deficits in executive functioning scale and the substance use tendency questionnaire. The multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data.

The results revealed that there was a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in the post-test scores of response inhibition and working memory after adjusting for the pre-test effect of response inhibition and working memory.

Based on the present research, it can be suggested that computerized cognitive rehabilitation can increase response inhibition and working memory in adolescents with tendency to substance use.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on treatment motivation and self-criticism in substance-dependent individuals.

This research was a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the study included substance-dependent individuals referring to the Medium-Term Residential Recovery Center in the city of Astara in the first quarter of 2020. Among them, 20 people were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups. The research measurement instruments were the stages of change readiness and treatment eagerness scale and the levels of self-criticism scale. To analyze the data, the descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of covariance were used.

Based on the results obtained from the differences between the experimental and control groups in pre-test and post-test, the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on treatment motivation and self-criticism in substance-dependent individuals was confirmed. In other words, the results showed that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy increased treatment motivation and decreased self-criticism in the experimental group.

According to the results of the study, it is recommended to professionals active in the field of addiction treatment to use the protocol of mindfulness-based cognition therapy as a psychological adjunctive therapy to increase treatment motivation and also to reduce self-criticism in substance-dependent individuals.

The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of alexithymia in the relationship of identity styles with the tendency to high-risk behaviors.

The present study was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. The population of this study included all undergraduate students of Poldokhtar Higher Education Center studying in the academic year 2021-2022. The statistical sample size, based on the rule of Kline, was determined equal to 230 people, which was performed by convenience sampling method and an online questionnaire. The instruments used in this study were the Toronto alexithymia scale, the Iranian adolescents' risk-taking scale, and the identity style inventory. All data analyses were performed using the SPSS-22 and AMOS-24 software.

The results showed that confused-avoidant and commitment identity styles directly affected the tendency to high-risk behaviors. Also, confused-avoidant and commitment identity styles, through alexithymia, indirectly affected the tendency to high-risk behaviors. Normative identity style had a direct effect on the tendency to high-risk behaviors and alexithymia, but the information-oriented identity style did not. In addition, alexithymia had directly affected the tendency to high-risk behaviors.

Individuals with the commitment identity style will experience more positive emotions and regulate their emotions better, but individuals with a confused-avoidant identity style have a deficit in understanding, describing, and processing emotions, causing them to tend to high-risk behaviors (substance use, smoking, alcohol use, etc.). Therefore, it is suggested that by addressing the Iranian-Islamic identity, educational authorities guide the students toward the commitment identity style, and by teaching the students having the confused-avoidant identity style, reduce alexithymia in them to decrease their tendency to high-risk behaviors.

The current research aimed to explore the family contexts and the consequences of the addiction phenomenon among men in the city of Ahvaz.

The qualitative grounded theory method was used, which, first through purposeful sampling and then the theoretical method, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 male substance users attending the Ahvaz addiction treatment camp. Simultaneously with data collection, coding and analysis were performed in three stages of open, axial, and selective coding.

The results included 6 main categories, including family economic life disruption, cultural desperation, addictive social context, structural factors facilitating substance use, addiction as a positive thing, and multidimensional consequences of addiction that were presented in the paradigm model.

The results of the research show that the category of life core is a crisis-provoking and its focus is family contexts that lead individuals to substance use.

The present research aimed to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing on intentional self-regulation in individuals with substance use disorder under maintenance therapy.

This research was a semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population included all men with substance use disorder under treatment in Robat Karim from March 2020 to May 2021, from which a sample of 71 people was selected using a cluster random sampling method and randomly placed into three experimental groups and one control group. The intentional self-regulation questionnaire was used to collect the data. The experimental groups underwent group therapy based on acceptance and commitment, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness for ten 50-minute sessions, but the control group did not receive any intervention.

The findings showed that the difference between the experimental and control groups was significant in all three approaches and mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and motivational interviewing had the greatest impact on intentional self-regulation, respectively, in individuals with substance use disorder under maintenance therapy.

Based on the findings, it can be concluded that individuals with substance use disorder can achieve more intentional self-regulation by learning techniques based on mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and motivational interviewing, but mindfulness techniques and acceptance and commitment therapy are more successful than motivational interviewing in this regard.

The current research was conducted aiming at understanding and recognizing the problems and needs of stimulant-dependent male adolescents.

This research was qualitative and a thematic analysis. The study population included all stimulant-dependent male adolescents, which based on the purposeful sampling method and using the data saturation technique, 12 adolescents were selected from the public and non-public addiction treatment centers of Tehran and Alborz in 2019 and 2020. Data collection was performed with a semi-structured in-depth interview method, and the data were then analyzed using Clark and Brown’s (2006) method.

Based on the data analysis, the needs of adolescents were extracted in three categories of general needs (including the need for family support, parenting skills training, healthy communication with friends and peers, formal education and life skills, and recreation), rehabilitation needs (including the need for the support of friends and family, providing services appropriate to the adolescent period, following up on health status, having a goal, hope, respect, and motivation), and post-rehabilitation needs (including the need for influential individuals and continuous and long-term social care and support ) as main and secondary themes.

Based on the study results, it is necessary to establish and expand specialized service centers with trained specialist staff familiar with the needs and issues of substance-dependent adolescents in order to provide psycho-social services to adolescents and their families, as well as literacy and skill training programs.

The present study was conducted to predict problem-solving styles based on the dimensions of self-differentiation in substance-dependent individuals.

This research was of descriptive-correlational type, and its statistical population included substance-dependent males and females who referred to the addiction treatment centers in the city of Arak in 2020. The study sample consisted of 270 people selected by convenience sampling method. The research tool was the self-differentiation questionnaire and the problem-solving Strategies scale. The data were analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis.

The results showed that the dimensions of self-differentiation were significantly related to the problem-solving styles in substance-dependent individuals. Also, regression analysis indicated that mixing with others could predict creativity styles and self-confidence. In addition, emotional breakdown explained approach and helplessness styles. In addition, the emotional reaction in the second step could predict creativity and approach styles. Emotional reaction also predicted the restraint style, but the position of the self could not predict any of the problem-solving styles.

According to these findings, the level of self-differentiation plays a significant role in predicting ways of coping with problems and events of daily life in substance-dependent individuals. For this reason, it is necessary to include measures to improve the level of differentiation in addiction prevention programs for children and adolescents, as well as in the treatment of substance-dependent individuals.

The present study aimed to evaluate the pattern of structural relations of mental rumination and worry to the prediction of the individuals’ relapse to stimulants mediated by self-control.

The method of the current research was descriptive-correlational of path analysis type. The statistical population of the study included all individuals using stimulants resident in rehabilitation and care centers of Tehran in 2021. Two hundred and fifty people were selected by cluster random sampling method. Data collection was performed through the self-control questionnaire, the prediction of individuals’ relapse to substance questionnaire, the mental rumination questionnaire, and the worry questionnaire. The path analysis test was used for data analysis.

The results showed that mental rumination and worry were positively associated with the prediction of individuals’ relapse to stimulants and self-control was negatively associated with the prediction of individuals’ relapse to substances. Mental rumination and worry had a significant direct effect, as well as a significant indirect effect through self-control, on the prediction of relapse to stimulant use.

The research findings indicated the appropriate fit of the research conceptual model. It is suggested that experts in the field of addiction pay special attention to reducing anxiety and mental rumination and increasing self-control of these individuals in identifying and analyzing the prediction of relapse to stimulants.

The present research aimed to determine the effectiveness of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy on alexithymia and self-regulation in individuals with substance use disorder in outpatient centers.

The current research was semi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The statistical population of the research included all men with substance use disorder in the outpatient centers of the city of Khorramabad in 2021. Of them, 18 people were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 9) and control (n = 9) groups. Individuals in the experimental group received interpersonal and social rhythm therapy in twelve 45-minute sessions with a frequency of two sessions per week. To collect data, the Toronto alexithymia scale and the self-regulation questionnaire were used. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U non-parametric test.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups, and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy reduced alexithymia and increased self-regulation in individuals with substance use disorder.

According to the results of the present study, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy can be used to reduce emotional problems and improve self-regulation skills in individuals with substance use disorder.

This research was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness training on cognitive emotion regulation, experiential avoidance, and methadone dose reduction in patients under methadone treatment.

The current study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population in this study consisted of all individuals referring to addiction treatment clinics in the city of Rasht in 2022. Of them, 30 people were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. Participants of both groups completed cognitive regulation questionnaire and the acceptance and action questionnaire in the pre-test and post-test. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was implemented on the experimental group according to the protocol of Boen, Chawla, and Marlatt (2017) in eight 80-minute sessions with the frequency of one session per week. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance.

The results showed that mindfulness training led to increasing adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and decreasing maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, experiential avoidance, and methadone dose in patients under methadone treatment.

According to the findings, it can be said that mindfulness can be used as an effective intervention in patients under methadone treatment.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of motivational psychotherapy on mental health in women with substance-dependent spouses.

The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The research statistical population included all women referring to addiction treatment clinics in the city of Torbat Heydariyeh, whose husbands were under methadone treatment, in 2021. Among them, 30 people were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of motivational psychotherapy, while the control group did not undergo any intervention. The research tool included the general health questionnaire and multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data.

The results showed that motivational psychotherapy significantly improved mental health, depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, and social performance of women with substance-dependent spouses.

The results of this research can open the way for counselors and therapists to help women with substance-dependent spouses.

This present research aimed to determine the effectiveness of hypnotherapy on psychological distress, functional disability, and death anxiety in heroin-dependent individuals.

The study was semi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of the current research included all heroin users referring to an addiction treatment camp in the city of Ghaemshahr in 2020. Among which, 32 heroin-dependent individuals were recruited and randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. Subjects in the experimental group received hypnotherapy for eight 75-minute sessions. The research tools included the WHO functional disability assessment questionnaire, the depression, anxiety and stress scale, and the death anxiety questionnaire. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance.

The findings indicated that there was a significant difference between the two groups, and hypnotherapy significantly reduced the scores of psychological distress, functional disability, and death anxiety in heroin-dependent individuals.

Hypnotherapy can be used as a useful intervention method to reduce psychological distress, functional disability, and death anxiety.