The Effect of Schema Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Individuals with Substance Use Disorder

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of schema therapy on depression, anxiety, and early maladaptive schemas in individuals with substance use disorder.

This quasi-experimental study was performed as a single-subject design with ABA multiple baseline method on six subjects who had substance use disorder. The statistical population included all individuals with substance use disorder referred to medical centers in Razan, Hamadan, in 2019. The instruments included the Beck depression inventory, the Beck anxiety inventory, and the early maladaptive schemas questionnaire. The scheme therapy was performed in 15 sessions in groups and individually and one session weekly. Subjects were tested in four stages. Data analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance.

The results showed the effect of schema therapy on improving early maladaptive schemas after 4 months, but there was no statistically significant difference in the reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms. However, in the ABA chart, the amount of changes in the scores of depression, anxiety, and second domain of maladaptive schemas was noticeable.

Therefore, schema-focused therapeutic interventions can change and modify the schemas and reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety in individuals with substance use disorder. Accordingly, It is recommended that schema therapy techniques be used individually for individuals with substance use disorder who have depression, anxiety, and maladaptive schemas.