Efficacy of Group Therapy Based on ۱۲-step Approach of Narcotics Anonymous on Self-control and Quality of Life in People With Substance Use Disorder Diagnosis During Recovery

Objective: The substance use disorder is a debilitating and often chronic problem. The present study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of group therapy based on the ۱۲-step approach of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) on self-control and Quality of Life in people with substance use disorder diagnosis during recovery.  Methods: The design of the study was two-way quasi-experimental (an experimental group and a control group) in the form of a pre-test, post-test, and follow up. A total of ۶۰ subjects were recruited as the prototype among the patients who were referred to the Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship in Isfahan and were divided into experimental and control groups (۳۰ people in each group). To measure the pre-test step, the participants in both groups completed Tangney’s self-control scale questionnaire (Tangney, ۲۰۰۴) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHO, ۱۹۹۱). Then, the experimental group received ۱۲ sessions of group-therapy intervention based on the ۱۲-step approach of NA (NA step working guides, ۲۰۱۳), and the control group received no intervention. After completing the intervention, the post-test and follow up test (two months later) were implemented in both groups. The obtained data were analyzed with a multivariate analysis of covariance in SPSS v. ۲۲.  Results: The results indicated significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in self-control and Quality of Life domains (physical, social, and psychological domains) scores in the pre-test and follow-up (P<۰.۰۵). However, regarding the environment domain of Quality of Life, no significant difference was observed between the experimental and the control group. Conclusion: The group therapy based on the ۱۲-step approach of NA can be considered an effective treatment to reduce the likelihood of substance re-use and improve the Quality of Life of these people.