The Relationship between Stressful Events and Psychological Distress in Women with Substance Use Disorder: The Moderating Roles of Resilience and Mindfulness

Objective: The present research aimed to investigate the moderating roles of resilience and mindfulness in the relationship between stressful events and psychological distress in women with substance use disorder. Method: The present study was descriptive-correlational. The statistical population of the research included all women with substance use disorder covered by the Welfare Organization of Mashhad in 2020. Among them, 253 people were selected by convenience sampling method. The tools used in this research involved the Connor-Davidson resilience scale, the Kessler psychological distress scale, the stressful life events screening questionnaire, and the mindful attention awareness scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation and regression analysis. Results: The results of this study showed that the relationship between stressful events and psychological distress in women with substance use disorder was mediated by mindfulness, but not by resilience. Conclusion: The results of this research suggest that mindfulness, as a protective factor, plays an important role in reducing psychological distress in women with substance use disorder. Therefore, therapeutic or educational approaches focused on mindfulness, including mindfulness based on stress reduction, can be used to reduce the psychological distress of individuals with substance use disorder.