The Effectiveness of Group Family Training About the Principles of Harm Reduction Approach on Marital Satisfaction of Spouses of Patients Under Methadone Maintenance Treatment

One of the most important problems in treatment of drug dependency is the patient's family cooperation. Many families do not look at drug dependency as a chronic and relapsing disorder and expect a quick and definite recovery of the disease. These families, including wives, are unfamiliar with the concept of harm reduction as a realistic approach. 

The aim of this study was to educate different aspects of harm reduction approach to the spouses of patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and assessment of this training on marital satisfaction and relapse rate. This study was experimental pretest-posttest study with control group. The sample consisted of 50 MMT patients and their wives in private methadone maintenance treatment clinics of Bojnurd city, north eastern of IRAN. The experimental group received eight group training sessions run by a psychiatrist. The content of the training sessions was based on harm reduction programs for families of patients with high-risk behaviors. Two groups compare in changing marital satisfaction and relapse rate. Paired t-test was used to compare changes in before and after the training. 

The results of this study showed that harm reduction education and efforts for changing wives' views toward MMT are effective in increasing their marital satisfaction. However, the conducted training showed no effect on relapse rate in the 6 months follow-up. Regarding the fact that this training has not been paid enough attention in the national protocol, therefore, the proposed training program of this research can be considered in MMT clinics.

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By:  Hojjat SK1, Rezaei M1, Hatami SE1, Kohestani M2, Norozi Khalili M3, Monadi Ziarat H1.

• 1 Addiction and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences , Bojnurd , Iran.
• 2 MA of family counseling, Islamic Azad University, Ghuchan branch , Ghuchan , Iran.
• 3 Department of Community Medicine , North Khorasan University of medical Sciences . Bojnurd , Iran.
• J Sex Marital Ther. 2016 Jan 8:0.  

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