Efficacy of Addiction Cognitive-Spiritual Group Therapy on Craving, Emotional Regulation and Mental Health of Patients under Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Cognitive-spiritual group therapy of addiction is a 12-session treatment which has recently been developed based on spiritual care and Iranian – Islamic culture. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cognitive-spiritual group therapy of addiction considering the effects of spiritual care on craving, emotional regulation and mental health of patients under methadone maintenance treatment.

24 individuals under methadone maintenance treatment in Khomeynishahr addiction clinics were selected by purposive sampling method. These 24 individuals were divided into two matched groups and group intervention was provided for one group (experiment) and the other one was considered as control group. Prior to the intervention, general health questionnaire (GHQ-12), emotional regulation subscale of Schuute Emotional Intelligence Scale and visual analogue scale for craving were administrated as pre-test to both control and test groups. After the intervention, the same questionnaires were also used as post-test for both groups.

Results of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that cognitive-spiritual group therapy of addiction based on spiritual care improved the mental health and emotional regulation of experimental group and reduced their cravings compared to the control group.

The aspects of the mentioned therapy and its components such as focus on responsibility and changing the lifestyle spiritually, safe and enduring relationship with God, trust, praying, thanksgiving, accepting and forgiving one’s self, patience, spiritual problem solving skill, finding one’s own identity in the world and building effective relationships with others improve mental health and emotional regulation and thus reduce craving.