The Comparison of the Effectiveness of Metacognitive Education and Treatment and Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management on Feeling of Cohesion and Depression in the Spouses of Substance-Dependent Men

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of metacognitive education and treatment and cognitive-behavioral stress management on feeling of cohesion and depression in the spouses of substance-dependent men. Method: The present study was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest and 3-month follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population of the study included the spouses of substance-dependent men referred to Dr. Moeini addiction treatment and rehabilitation center in Gorgan from 2008 to 2018. Among them, 45 people were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into two experimental groups (15 people for each group) and a control group (n=15 people). The first experimental group received metacognitive education and treatment for depression and the second experimental group received cognitive-behavioral stress management and the control group did not receive any intervention. The cohesion feeling questionnaire and the Beck depression scale were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measure. Results: The results showed that both interventions led to a significant increase in feeling of cohesion and a significant decrease in depression in the spouses of substance-dependent men. Also, there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two interventions on feeling of cohesion and depression in the two experimental groups. In addition, these results remained stable in the follow-up phase. Conclusion: Both interventions of metacognitive education and treatment and cognitive-behavioral stress management can be used as beneficial interventions in the spouses of substance-dependent men.