Zahra Nazari Baghani, Hamzeh Akbari

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the effect of group acceptance and commitment therapy training on self-efficacy and impulsivity control of addicts in addiction treatment centers of Gorgan. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of women with drug abuse who were living in the Aftab-e Zendegi Women's Addiction Treatment Camp in Gorgan in the second half of 2019. Based on a preliminary interview, 30 addicted women were selected through a convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). Subjects in both groups were assessed in the pretest and posttest stages by Barratt (1950) impulsivity scale and the Sherer et al (1982) self-efficacy questionnaire.  Acceptance and commitment training was presented in 8 weekly sessions of two hours to the subjects in the experimental group, while the subjects in the control group did not receive any intervention until the end of the post-test stage.  Data were analyzed through ANCOVA and MANCOVA tests in SPSS version 24 software. The results revealed that acceptance and commitment therapy training reduced impulsivity and its components (cognitive impulsivity, non-motor impulsivity, non-planning impulsivity) in subjects of the intervention group.  Also, educational intervention significantly increased the self-efficacy of the subjects in the experimental group (p <0.01). Based on results of the study, acceptance and commitment therapy training can be used as an effective non-pharmacological solution to reduce impulsivity and increase self-efficacy in women with drug abuse.