Comparing the effectiveness of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment and combined therapy of these two methods on emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders

The aim of the study was to comparing the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation, mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment and combined therapy of these two methods on emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders.

The present study is a quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Eighty adolescents (18-21 age) with substance abuse disorders were selected from adolescent camps under the supervision of the Ardabil Welfare Organization in 2018 according to including and excluding criteria and were selected and randomly divided into four groups: of transcranial direct current stimulation  (n=20), mindfulness-based substance abuse treatment (n=20), combination therapy (n=20)  and control group (n=20). The instruments used were Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Data analysis was performed using mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures in SPSS 22.

Results showed that all interventions (i.e., tDCS, MBSAT, Combination therapy) were significantly different compared to the control group. However, combination therapy had a larger effect size to reduced emotion dysregulation in adolescents with Substance use disorders (p<./05).          

Combined effects affirm that tDCS has more beneficial and durable therapeutic effects when combined with psychological interventions.