EFFECTS OF CBT AND DBT THERAPIES IN DRUG ADDICTS LIVING IN REHABILITATION CENTERS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

This paper has discussed the impact of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in helping individuals in rehabilitation homes to decrease the level of addiction, cravings, emotional instability, and relapse tendency. A quasi-experimental pre-test/ post-test design in which 60 people were randomly spread into CBT, DBT or treatment-as-usual (TAU) was used. The standardized measures, such as the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), Drug Craving Questionnaire (DCQ), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and Relapse Risk Scale (RRS), were used. High internal consistency was demonstrated by reliability analysis (Cronbach 8291). Paired-sample t-tests showed that CBT and DBT groups have significant improvements in pre and post and the TAU group does not show any meaningful changes. The ANOVA and post hoc results indicated that CBT was more efficient in terms of the lessening of the extent of addiction and cravings whereas DBT was superior in terms of emotional control and prevention of relapse. These results indicate that systematic psychotherapies, especially DBT, are very effective in improving treatment in addiction rehabilitation centers.