The Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Psychological Flexibility of Substance-Dependent Women

Abstract

Background: Addiction as one of the crises in the current century has affected all societies and is one of the most harmful and common phenomena in the family system. Addiction is the cause of many social, familial, and personal disabilities. Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on the psychological flexibility of drug-dependent women. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included female drug addicts attending addiction treatment camps in Zahedan, who had undergone detoxification. Using a single stage cluster sampling method, 27 drug-dependent women were selected and allocated randomly in either experimental (13 subjects) or control (n = 14) groups. The Dennis cognitive flexibility inventory (CFI) was used in the pre-test and post-test and the data were analyzed using multivariate covariance analysis in the SPSS version 23 software. Results: The results of the study showed that acceptance and commitment therapy increased psychological flexibility and its dimensions (alternatives, control, and perceived ability) in the experimental group when compared to the control group at the post-test stage (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Group-based acceptance and commitment treatment is effective in increasing the psychological flexibility of drugdependent women. This method can be effective in reducing the psychological problems of addicts and decrease their tendency to return to substance use. Therefore, the use of this therapeutic approach is recommended to improve the health status of addicted women.

Sustained Benefits of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Emotion Recognition and Mind-Body Connection

“…The improvements in emotion recognition observed in this study are consistent with findings by Abad and Arab (2018), who reported that ACT significantly improved psychological flexibility among substance-dependent women. Psychological flexibility, a core outcome of ACT, is closely related to the ability to recognize and adaptively respond to emotions (Abad & Arab, 2018). This enhanced flexibility likely contributes to better emotion recognition, as individuals become more adept at observing and understanding their emotional experiences.…”

“…Research supports the impact of ACT on emotion-related processes. In a study on substance-dependent women, ACT significantly improved psychological flexibility, which is closely linked to better emotion regulation and recognition (Abad & Arab, 2018). Additionally, ACT's emphasis on present-moment awareness helps individuals better identify and understand their emotions as they arise (Hayes et al, 2012).…”

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Quality of Life Improvement Training on Distress Tolerance and Self-Destructive Behaviors in Substance Abusers

“…26 From a metacognitive point of view, substance abuse causes significant changes in cognitive events, such as feelings, thoughts, or memories. 27,[28][29][30] Distress tolerance is a psychological construct related to the individual's ability to experience and endure adverse emotional states. 22 Distress tolerance is another effective factor in assessing and preparing individuals for substance use disorder.…”

“…28,29 Moreover, a study by Najafi et al showed that emotional activity, cognitive dysregulation, and distress tolerance play important roles in having tendency towards substance use. 30 The substance use disorders caused by repeated and abnormal drug use, medications, alcohol, and so on are often associated with a great deal of distress, lack of coordination in cognitive regulation, lack of emotional awareness, and problems in personal and occupational social contexts. 31 QOLT is one of the strategies for preventing substance use and quitting addiction in people with substance use disorders.…”