Predicting pathological substance use relapse based on object-relations and personality organization in Male addicts treated with methadone

This research was conducted to predict substance use relapse based on object-relations and personality organization in male addicts treated with methadone. The research method is descriptive and correlational. The statistical population included the male addicts who were treated with methadone in Kashan city in the spring of 2019 among which 170 individuals were selected through convenience sampling. In order to gather the data, the Relapse Prediction Scale (Wright et al., 2001), the Bell Object Relations Inventory (1955), and the Inventory of Personality Organization (Kernberg and Clarkin, 1995) were used. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results showed that both the object relations and the personality organization explained 0.48 and 0.17 of the variance of the substance use relapse, respectively. The regression coefficient in the dimensions of insecure attachment, inadequacy, the first defense mechanisms, identity confusion, and the borderline personality organization were 0.28, 0.29, 0.70, 0.16, and 0.18, respectively (P<0/01). According to the findings of this study, object relations and personality organization can help predict pathological substance use relapse.