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Effectiveness of Acceptance-Commitment Therapy on Anxiety and Depression among Patients on Methadone Treatment: A Pilot Study

APA Citation

Saedy, M., Kooshki, S., Firouzabadi, M. J., Emamipour, S., & Ardani, A. R. (2015). Effectiveness of Acceptance-Commitment Therapy on anxiety and depression among patients on methadone treatment: A pilot study. Iranian journal of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, 9(1).

Publication Topic
ACT: Empirical
Publication Type
Article
Language
English
Keyword(s)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Anxiety, Depression, Opioid-Related Disorders
Abstract

Background:

Substance dependence disorder is a psychiatric disorders with different factors that influence its nature, severity, outcome, and treatment options.

Objectives:

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Acceptance-Commitment Therapy (ACT) to decrease anxiety and depression in patients with opioid dependencies who are undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).

Materials and Methods:

The present study was done in Mashhad from 2011-2012. Twenty-eight patients (18-50 yr) with opioid dependency who were on MMT were selected using purposive sampling and were divided equally between case and control groups. The case group received 8 sessions of individual psychotherapy with ACT. The level of depression and anxiety of these patients were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Beck Anxiety Inventory before the initiation of ACT as a pretest, 2 weeks after the termination of ACT as the posttest, and 3-months after the termination as a follow-up. The collected data was analyzed with SPSS (ver. 20) using χ2, paired t-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA.

Results:

The pretest-posttest-follow up of anxiety showed no significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.05); however, the case group had lower depression scores in the posttest and follow-up than the control group (P = 0.04). Evaluating the results of the case group revealed that depression significantly decreased in the posttest group when compared to the pretest (P = 0.01) and there were no significant decreases in the follow up compared to the pretest (P = 0.34).

Conclusion:

Short-term ACT for opioid dependent patients on MMT are not associated with a significant decrease in the level of anxiety; however, it is associated with a significant decrease in the level of depression. Nonetheless, this reduction was not maintained long term.