The Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Components of Shame and Internal Stigma in Substance-Dependent Individuals Undergoing Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Objective:The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on the components of shame and internal stigma in individuals with substance dependence undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.Method: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-testpost-test design with a control group was employed.The study population consisted of all individuals with substance dependence receiving methadone treatment at addiction treatment centers in Shahrood in 2024.From this population, 32 individuals were selected using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n=16) and control (n=16).Participants in both groups completed the external shame and internal stigma questionnaires in the pre-test and post-test.Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was implemented in eight 90-minute sessions, once a week, to the experimental group.Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance.Results: The results indicated a significant difference between the two groups, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy led to a reduction in the components of shame and improvement in internal stigma in individuals with substance dependence undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, addiction specialists can emphasize the improvement of shame and internal stigma components by using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.