The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Therapy in Improving Symptoms of Addiction and Negative Emotions in men with methamphetamine dependence

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based relapse prevention treatment on the symptoms of addiction and negative emotions in men dependent on stimulant drugs (glass).

The research method was quasi-experimental with pre-test and post-test and follow-up with the control group. The statistical population included all men addicted to stimulants (glass) who referred to the TC center of Karaj province in the fall of 1397. The available sampling method (40 men) were selected and randomly divided into experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. In the pre-test stage, the Madzley Addiction Profile Scale and the short form of Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) were administered. Then the experimental group was treated for 8 sessions and the control group did not receive any intervention and at the end both groups underwent post-test and follow-up period (3 months). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data.

The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups after the treatment. Thus, the mean score of addiction symptoms and negative emotions in the experimental group decreased compared to the control group (P <0.001).

According to these results, mindfulness-based relapse prevention treatment seems to be an effective treatment approach for addicts dependent on stimulant drugs and this protocol can be used in therapeutic interventions.