Publication Date: 2021
Iranian Journal Of Psychiatry (17354587)16(3)pp. 260-270
Objective: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, progressive neurological disease that, due to its special nature, has various physical and mental influences on the patients and their family's lives, decreasing the quality of life and threatening the meaning of life. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the group hope therapy training on the quality and the meaning of life in patients with multiple sclerosis and their family caregivers. Method: This quasi-experimental study was performed using pretest-posttest and control group. Thirty patients with multiple sclerosis along with 30 family caregivers who got low to medium scores on the Meaning in Life questionnaire by Steger (MLQ), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), and the Iranian Quality of Life questionnaire (IRQOL) for the caregivers were selected purposively. Then, the patients were randomly divided into two groups of 15 individuals in experimental and 15 individuals in control groups. The caregivers were grouped in the same manner. The protocol of group hope therapy training was carried out through eight two-hour sessions in two weeks separately on two experimental groups (the patients and the caregivers), and finally the posttest was given to four experimental and control groups. Results: The results of the data showed that the meaning of life in both the patient and the caregiver experimental groups increased significantly (P < 0.001), but there was no significant change in the patient and the caregiver control groups. Conclusion: Group hope therapy training is an effective intervention for improving the meaning of life and the quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis. Also, any psychological intervention that aims to improve the quality of life in patients in an advanced stage of the disease requires attention to both the physical and the mental issues at the same time. Although group hope therapy training has improved the meaning of life in such patients, it did not have a significant impact on the quality of life. Therefore, paying attention to the stages of multiple sclerosis and the physical condition of the patients during the therapeutic intervention and adopting necessary complementary interventions seems to be essential. Copyright © 2021 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Publication Date: 2019
Iranian Rehabilitation Journal (17353602)17(2)pp. 105-112
Objectives: The present review study aimed at investigating the vocational rehabilitation of individuals with drug dependence disorders. Methods: Based on the research method, a comprehensive search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, EBSCO, ProQuest and Google Scholar. All keywords synonymous with vocational rehabilitation and substance abuse were considered in search. Then related studies with vocation rehabilitation were selected and included in the study. Results: Job is a protective and major factor in effective treatment, and ignoring vocational counseling and rehabilitation leads to a significant defect in addiction treatment. Discussion: Individuals receiving vocational services along with drug abuse treatment would experience reduced drug abuse and a more productive life. © 2019, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Publication Date: 2017
Iranian Journal Of Psychiatry And Behavioral Sciences (17358639)11(2)
Background: It is proven that perceived social support and family function are important in the treatment and prevention of lapse or relapse in drug use disorders, but the role of these factors, especially when added together, are less evaluated in primary prevention of drug dependence. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and family functioning in the students' tendency toward illicit drug use. Methods: The study had a cross-sectional design. A total of 156 students of Allameh Tabatabaei University were selected in the 2013 - 2014 academic year in Tehran, Iran, and the required information was obtained from them by three questionnaires: perceived social support, family functioning, and students' tendency toward illicit drug use. Data were analyzed with the Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression coefficients, by SPSS version 21. Results: There was a significant relationship (P < 0.005) between perceived social support and students' tendency toward illicit drug use. The family functioning also had a significant correlation with the tendency of students towards drug misuse (P < 0.001). Based on multiple regression coefficients, perceived social support and its components and family function were strong variables to predict illicit drug use potential (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Improving social support as well as constructiveandpositive functioning of the family can reduce students' tendency towards illicit drug use. Onthe contrary, weak social networks and lack of constructive communication between the individuals and society, as well as stressful family environment are among factors of students' and young people' tendency towards drug misuse. © 2017, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences.
Publication Date: 2016
International Journal Of High Risk Behaviors And Addiction (2251872X)5(1)
Background: Emotion plays an important role in adapting to life changes and stressful events. Difficulty regulating emotions is one of the problems drug abusers often face, and teaching these individuals to express and manage their emotions can be effective on improving their difficult circumstances. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Gross model-based emotion regulation strategies training on anger reduction in drug-dependent individuals. Patients and Methods: The present study had a quasi-experimental design wherein pretest-posttest evaluations were applied using a control group. The population under study included addicts attending Marivan's methadone maintenance therapy centers in 2012 - 2013. Convenience sampling was used to select 30 substance-dependent individuals undergoing maintenance treatment who were then randomly assigned to the experiment and control groups. The experiment group received its training in eight two-hour sessions. Data were analyzed using analysis of co-variance and paired t-test. Results: There was significant reduction in anger symptoms of drug-dependent individuals after gross model based emotion regulation training (ERT) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the effectiveness of the training on anger was persistent in the follow-up period. Conclusions: Symptoms of anger in drug-dependent individuals of this study were reduced by gross model-based emotion regulation strategies training. Based on the results of this study, we may conclude that the gross model based emotion regulation strategies training can be applied alongside other therapies to treat drug abusers undergoing rehabilitation. © 2016, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences.
Publication Date: 2015
Iranian Rehabilitation Journal (17353602)13(1)pp. 51-55
Objectives: From the psychological point of view, coping strategies and attitudes have considerable effects on people's tendency towards risky behavior, including opioid substance abuse. Dysfunctional attitudes are attitudes and beliefs that predispose the individual toward depression and psychological disorder, generally speaking. Usually, people use three types of coping strategies when confronting stressful situations; problem-focused, emotion-focused and avoidance strategies. This study therefore aimed to compare dysfunctional attitudes and coping strategies in substance-dependent & healthy individuals. Methods: A causal-comparative study was conducted. The population under study consisted of 100 addicts attending Robat-Karim's addiction rehabilitation centers who were selected through simple random sampling. Another 100 ordinary individuals were matched with the addicts. The dysfunctional attitudes scale and the coping strategies questionnaire was used to collect data. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze data. Results: The two groups differed significantly in their dysfunctional attitudes and problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. Substance-dependent individuals applied emotion-focused coping more and had greater dysfunctional attitudes than the healthy ones, and the latter applied problem-focused strategies more. Discussion: Based on our results, addicts have greater dysfunctional attitudes than non-addicts. Therefore, better treatment and rehabilitation results may be obtained by preparing grounds for appropriate psychological interventions and coping strategies in substance-dependent individuals.
Publication Date: 2015
Iranian Rehabilitation Journal (17353602)13(1)pp. 56-60
Objectives: According to the gateway drug theory, tobacco use is a predisposing factor for future substance abuse. This study was conducted to compare nicotine and opiate dependents to identify the differences between their personality traits and psychopathology that makes them turn to other substances after cigarette smoking. Methods: A causal-comparative study was conducted. Three groups were randomly selected: nicotine dependents, opiate dependents and ordinary individuals (non-dependent population). Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, Maudsley Addiction Profile, the Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to collect data. Analysis of variance was used to analyze data. Results: Opiate dependents had higher 'novelty seeking' and lower 'cooperativeness' scores as compared to the other two groups. They also had higher anxiety and depression scores than the other two groups. Discussion: Higher 'novelty seeking' and lower 'cooperativeness' scores are important personality traits predicting future substance abuse.
Publication Date: 2015
Iranian Rehabilitation Journal (17353602)13(4)pp. 74-79
Objectives: Adolescents are the most vulnerable group of the society when it comes to risky behaviors. As a consequence of their volatile behavior during adolescence they are more likely to behave in ways that threatens their ongoing physical and psychological health and their future. The current study was designed to examine the association between the emotional expressiveness style and addiction potential among male high school students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 male high school students that had been selected through multi-stage random sampling from Karaj city's at-risk high schools. The research tools consisted of: a) the researcher-made demographic questionnaire, b) addiction potential scale, c) emotional expressiveness questionnaire. Pearson's correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used for data analyzing. Results: Based on the results, emotional expressiveness and its components were negatively and significantly associated with addiction: 'expression of positive emotion' (p=0.001), 'expression of negative emotion' (p=0.001), and 'expression of intimacy' (p=0.001). 'Expression of positive emotion' plays a more significant role in predicting addiction potential. Addiction potential was significantly associated with familial economic status (p=0.024). Discussion: On the whole, our results underscore the significance of emotions and emotional expressiveness in predicting addiction potential in adolescents. Therefore, it is essential to educate adolescents during their schooling years to prevent this phenomenon.
