Predicting the Craving of methadone treatment addicts based on individual and environmental factors

Studies show that various factors are effective in initiating and continuing substance use. Accordingly, the present study seeks to predict the craving of addicts under treatment based on family communication patterns, social support, resilience and perceived stress.

 The method used in this research is descriptive, correlational. A sample of 213 people were selected non-randomly from the community referring to substance abuse treatment centers in Ahvaz in 1398.To measure the research variables, participants were provided with Craving believes questionnaire, Family Communication Patterns (2002), Zimet Social Support (1988), Koerner Resilience (2003), and Cohen Perceived Stress (1983). Data extracted from the questionnaires were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis using SPSS24 software.

 Calculation of the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that the craving to use drugs has a significant negative relationship with the family communication patterns with the orientation of dialogue, social support, and resilience. In other words, the craving to use drags decreases with decreasing the mentioned variables. Also, the calculation of the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that the craving to use drugs with the family communication pattern with the orientation of conformity and perceived stress has a significant positive relationship, which indicates an increase in the craving to use drugs with the increase of these variables. multiple regression analysis using step-wise method revealed that the combination of four variables of conformity orientation, conversation orientation, resilience and social support explains and predicts 30% of the variance of craving to use drugs for the study participants.

 Addiction therapists such as physicians, nurses, and psychologists gain a better understanding of at-risk individuals by recognizing the increasing variables of craving, and reinforce the factors that protect individual against craving and relapse.