An Examination of the Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing on State and Trait Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Codependent Women with an Addicted Spouse

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing on state and trait anxiety and depression symptoms in codependent women who have an addicted spouse. Methodology: This applied study employed a semi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The statistical population consisted of codependent women with an addicted spouse in the city of Tehran who, in the first quarter of 2024, visited self-help group centers and were selected based on an initial interview to determine eligibility for inclusion in the sample. The research sample included 30 individuals recruited through convenience sampling, who were then randomly assigned into two groups of 15. For data collection, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et al., 1983), the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, 1978), and the codependency questionnaire by Dear and Robert (2000) were utilized. Data were analysed through repeated measures analysis of variance via SPSS-25. Findings: The results of the data analysis indicated that motivational interviewing–based treatment reduced the level of state and trait anxiety in codependent women with an addicted spouse by 0.51 units (p < .01). Furthermore, motivational interviewing–based treatment reduced the level of depression symptoms in these women by 0.26 units (p < .01). Finally, motivational interviewing–based treatment reduced the combined level of state and trait anxiety and depression symptoms by 0.71 units (p < .01). Conclusion: Findings indicated that applying motivational interviewing significantly decreases state and trait anxiety, as well as depression symptoms, among codependent women with addicted spouses. This intervention can be considered an effective approach to enhancing mental health and improving these individuals’ quality of life, producing beneficial outcomes and diminishing detrimental consequences overall.