The effectiveness of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the laps rate and persistence in the treatment of patients with opioid dependency under the treatment of MMT

Background: Laps is one of the challenges in the treatment of opioid dependency that cause relapse. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of behavioral group therapy and cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the laps rate and persistence in the treatment of patients with opioid dependency under the treatment of MMT.

Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 66 patients were selected from 108 male patients referred to the governmental clinic methadone maintenance treatment in Gonabad City. The patients were put into two experimental groups and one control group randomly based on research entry criteria.

Two experimental groups were under group treatment during 12 one-hour sessions weekly. Control group received only usual individual interventions of clinic. The subjects were evaluated by opioid consumption index (OTI), laps rate and absence checklist, before and after treatment and after the ending 6-month follow up. Data were analyzed employing statistical methods of t-test, one-way ANOVA and Chi-square test.

 Results: Both behavioral group therapy and cognitive-behavioral group therapy approach compared with usual individual interventions were more effective  in  reducing laps rate after the treatment (P=0.0001), after 6 months of follow-up (p=0.001), and persistence in treatment (P=0.0001). Also, cognitive-behavioral group therapy compared with behavioral group therapy was significantly more effective in reducing laps rate (P=0.04), and persistence in treatment (P=0.015).

Conclusion: Considering more effectiveness of MMT treatment, its association with cognitive behavioral group therapy is recommended.