The Comparison of Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy Based on Coping Skills and Methadone Maintenance Treatment in Improvement of Emotional Regulation Strategies and Relapse Prevention1

This study compared the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioraltherapy based on coping skills (CBT) and methadone maintenance therapy (MMT)in improvement of emotional regulation strategies and prevention of relapse. The method of the present study was semi-experimental research design (pre-test-post-test with witness group). For sampling 45 substance abuse people who had referred to addiction treatment centers were selected and assigned to threegroups of cognitive behavior therapy, methadone maintenance treatment and witnessgroup randomly. The participants in all three groups completed the emotional intelligence questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed bycovariance method. The results showed that cognitive-behavior therapy in comparison to methadone maintenance therapy and witness group led to significant improvement of emotional regulation in substance abusers, but there was no significant difference between the methadone maintenance treatment group and control group. Also, the rate of relapse in individuals who assigned to cognitivebehavior therapy group in comparison to methadone maintenance therapy and the witness group was significantly lower, but there was no significant difference between methadone therapy and witness. Cognitive-behavior therapy was an effective treatment that can change the cognitive and behavioral variables related to substance abuse, such as emotional regulation strategies. Thus, results suggested that drug abuse treatment programs must target these mediator variables.