The Effectiveness of Group Psychotherapy with Transactional Analysis Approach on the Reduction of Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Opioid Addicts

Addiction is a biological, psychological and social disease. One of the most important solutions to prevent and treat addiction is group therapy of transactional analysis. The present research was conducted aiming at analyzing the effectiveness of group psychotherapy with transactional analysis approach on reducing depression, anxiety and stress in opioid addicts. In this empirical study, 24 addicts were chosen among all opium addicts referring to addiction-beat clinics and camps using available sampling and were placed randomly in two groups of experiment and control. After dividing the individuals into experiment and control groups, the independent variable (group therapy in transactional analysis method) was analyzed according to experiment group in 8 sessions (one 1.5 to 2-hour session a week). The research information was collected through depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS). Data were analyzed using covariance analysis. Results indicated that post-test scores and follow-up the index of depression in experiment group were reduced compared to those of control group. The reduction was significant. In addition, no reduction was existed in the indices of anxiety and stress in the phase of post-test and follow-up that was not statistically significant. According to the results, it can be mentioned that the treatment of group transactional analysis has been effective in reducing depression in both post-test phase and follow-up one that can be employed as a method.