Effect of Psychosocial Intervention on Motivation and Coping Strategies Among Patients with Substance Use Disorder

Abstract

Background: Substance or drug abuse is a significant public health issue, commonly impacts adolescents and young adults of both genders, and is the 4th leading cause of youth- related crime and disability.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of psychosocial intervention on the level of motivation and coping strategies among patients with substance use disorder.

Subjects and Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design was adopted among 92 patients with substance use disorder (45 in the experimental group and 47 in the control group), selected using a purposive sampling technique. Pre- and post-tests were done for both groups using the Personal Drug Use Questionnaire SOCRATE 8D & brief cope questionnaire. Psychosocial intervention was given only to the experimental group. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to evaluate the effect using SPSS version 21 at a 0.05 level of significance.

Results: The study results reveal that in the experimental group, 24.4% of subjects had a very high level of motivation, and in post-intervention, it increased to 86.7%, which is very high in comparison to the control group (34%). In response to coping, in the experimental pre-test group, 20% had poor coping, whereas in the control group, 19% had poor coping; after the intervention, all subjects developed good coping in both the experimental and control groups. Hence, it is suggestive that psychosocial intervention has a positive impact on the level of motivation and coping among patients with substance use disorder. The experimental group showed significant enhancements in the level of motivation and coping strategies in comparison to the control group following the intervention. Psychosocial intervention showed statistically significant differences in level of motivation (t (90) = 7.39, p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 1.54) and coping (t(90) = 9.04, p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 1.88), indicating very large effect sizes. No significant association was found between outcome variables and selected socio-demographic characteristics.

Conclusions: The psychosocial intervention was effective in improving motivation and coping strategies among patients with substance use disorders.