Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Impulsivity of Patients With Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Abstract

Objective: Executive functions and impulse control ability are severely impaired in people with amphetamine use disorders. In this regard the study aims to decrease impulsivity in patients with Methamphetamine use disorder by using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Materials & Methods: The study is a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest control group design. The study population included all men under treatment with Methamphetamine use disorder in 2019 in Yazd city. The sampling method was purposive sampling. Among those who scored higher than the cut-point according to Bart's Impulsivity Questionnaire (1994), 12 were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 12 randomly assigned to the control group. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods including covariance analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that the value of the parameter (F) belonging to the pretest variable was 4.9 and it was significant. Therefore, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of impulsivity of the control and experimental groups in the posttest after the pretest effect was gone in patients with treated methamphetamine use disorder. Conclusion: Finally based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the ACT as a new and emerging treatment of the third wave of behavioral therapy is a useful intervention for patients with methamphetamine use disorder to reduce their impulsive behaviors.

Keywords

• acceptance and commitment therapy
• impulsivity
• methamphetamine