The Intervention Effects Of Motivation-Skills-Desensitization-Mental Energy Model In Relapse Prevention Among Heroin Addicts

Objective:(1) To evaluate the effect of applying motivation-skills-desensitization-mental energy (MSDE) model in relapse prevention on drug addicts’chronic craving and depression.(2) To evaluate the short term effects ofmotivation-skills-desensitization-mental energy (MSDE) model on abstinence rateamong heroin addicts.(3) To develop the Emotional and Motivational Change TendencyScale for heroin patients in compulsory rehabilitation center, and to evaluate thereliability and validity of the scale, with which to provide instrument for psychologicaltreatments of heroin patients.Methods: Ninety eight male heroin addicts were selected randomly in Xiangyangcompulsory rehabilitation center, and divided into intervention and control groupsequally and randomly. The intervention group was given MSDE psychologyintervention and conventional abstinent education, while the control was givenconventional abstinent education only. And then we evaluated the chronic craving,depression, impulsiveness and aggression of two groups one month later. Forty-sixheroin addicts in intervention group and forty-three in the control were followed bytelephone to observe the abstinence rates at1,3,6months and1year after release.According to the emotion status of the heroin patients and abstinence changes needed incompulsory rehabilitation center, our group drafted the Emotional and MotivationalChange Tendency Scale and applied it to298heroin addicts by on-the-spot investigation.81addicts of them were selected randomly and retested a week later.Results:(1) As was revealed by the repeated measures analysis of variance, afterthe intervention,①the scores of the OCDUS and BIS-II of intervention group waslower than the control (P<0.01),②the scores of the OCDUS, the BDI-13and the Buss&Perry Aggression Questionnaire of intervention group at the end of intervention werelower than those at the beginning of intervention (P<0.01),③the scores of the OCDUSand the BDI-13were declined mainly by intervention factor (P<0.01), and the decliningtrend of those two scales’ scores of intervention group were more significant than thecontrol (P<0.01). (2) At1,3,6months and1year, abstinence rates (71.74%vs.18.60%, P<0.001,52.17%vs.6.98%, P<0.001,41.30%vs.2.33%, P<0.001,36.96%vs.2.33%, P<0.001)were statistically significant in the intervention group compared to the control. Themultiple Logistic regression results showed that intervention factor played an importantrole for abstinence at1,3,6months and1year (all OR>15, P<0.01).(3) Cronbach’s α of total items of questionnaire was0.88, Cronbach’s α of4factorsranged from0.77to0.94, the test-retest reliability of total scores was0.70, thereliability of four factors ranged from0.42to0.62, and the reliability of each itemranged from0.29to0.64, we got four factors which explained72.71%of total varianceby factor analysis.Conclusions: Motivation-skills-Desensitization-mental energy model can helpheroin addicts reducing chronic craving and depression, and improving the short termabstinence rates. Theoretically, it is important to prevention of relapse. The reliabilityand validity of the Emotional and Motivational Change Tendency Scale was acceptableand could be used in the study of psychological treatments for heroin addicts.Innovation aspects of the present study:1. We introduced the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) from America, andcombined it with motivation interview, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy into a comprehensivepsychological intervention model (Motivation-Skills-Desensitization-MentalEnergy Model), and then carried it out among Chinese heroin addicts for thefirst time.2. We used one year abstinence rate to demonstrate the effectiveness ofMotivation-Skills-Desensitization-Mental Energy Model. Furthermore, weconducted Logistic regression to identify the major positive factors ofmaintaining abstinence for heroin addicts.3. We developed the Emotional and Motivational Change Tendency Scale tomonitor emotional and motivational change tendency of heroin addictsaccording to their emotional and psychological statuses.