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

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.

Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the Quality of Life in Infertile Women During Treatment: A Randomized Control Trial

“…The research on the effect of ACT as a therapy for mood disorders confirmed it as an effective treatment for mood, anxiety, and other psychological disorders such as pain and eating disorder (15,16). The ACT is used for treating anger (17), chronic pain, drug abuse, and many other problems as well (18,19). Further, it is an effective therapy for decreasing infertility stress, psychological distress, and infertility-related depression (20), as well as a promising treatment for patients who have failed in vitro fertilization.…”

Management of mood and anxiety disorders in patients receiving opioid agonist therapy: Review and meta-analysis

“…A short RCT of acceptance‐commitment therapy (ACT), in comparison to no psychotherapy, in patients with MMT showed a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and lack of significant changes in the severity of anxiety symptoms . However, it must be noted that this study had a small sample size, with 28 patients included in total, and there was a significant difference in the severity of both symptoms of depression and anxiety between cases and controls at baseline.…”

“…Clinical trial data are scarce on the effectiveness of various psychotherapies for patients receiving OAT. Our search yielded a total of eight studies, of which only five were eligible for our review (Table ) . The excluded studies were either not controlled ( n = 2) or a study that excluded patients with MDD ( n = 1) .…”

“…The excluded studies were either not controlled ( n = 2) or a study that excluded patients with MDD ( n = 1) . Four studies allocated patients using randomization and one study used a quasi‐experimental design . All of the studies defined their participants as patients known to have opioid dependence on MMT.…”

Pengaruh Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Terhadap Perubahan Kecemasan Dan Selfefficacy Pada Pasien Dengan Hemodialisa Di Rs Sint Carolus Jakarta

“…44-58 diberikan pada pasien dengan penyakit kronis seperti pasien kanker, Diabetes Melitus, Gagal ginjal kronis, serta penyakit dengan gangguan psikososial lainnya. Penelitian ini didukung dengan hasil penelitian Saedy, Kooshki, Firouzabadi, & Emamipour (2015) menjelaskan bahwa terapi ACT jangka pendek pada pasien Diabetes Melitus secara signifikan menurunkan kecemasan dan depresi (p<0,04).…”