The Effectiveness of Psychodrama Training on Emotion Management in Individuals Addicted to Opioids

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: Opioid addiction has extensive physical, psychological, emotional, and social consequences and causes a decline in the health and welfare system. Therefore, the aim of this researcg was determine the effectiveness of psychodrama training on emotion management in individuals addicted to opioids.

Methodology: This study was a quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The population of the present research was all men and women addicted to opioids who referred to the addiction treatment camp of Tehran city in 2024 year. The sample size for each group was cosidered 15 people, and accordingly, number of 30 people were selected using the available sampling method and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The experimental group 8 sessions of 90 minute (two sessions per week) underwent the psychodrama training, and the control group remained on the waiting list for treatment. The data of the present research were collected using the Emotion Management Scale (Zeman et al., 2001) and analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis of covariance methods in SPSS-27 software.

Findings: The results of the present research showed that there was a significant difference between the individuals addicted to opioids of experimental and control groups in terms of emotion management and all three of its components, including anger, sadness, and worry. In the other words, psychodrama training improved emotion management and reduced all three of its components, including anger, sadness, and worry in individuals addicted to opioids (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The results of this research showed the effectiveness of psychodrama training on improving emotion management in individuals addicted to opioids. Therefore, specialists and therapists can use psychodrama training along with other educational methods to improve the emotional characteristics of individuals addicted to opioids.