Effect of group logotherapy in reducing depression and increasing hope in drug addicts Mohamad Khaledian1, Masood Yarahmadi2, Hemn Mahmoudfakhe1 Journal of Research & Health Abstract Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center Today, addiction is a major problem in human society, threatens Vol. 6, No. 1, Mar & Apr 2016 health of the community, family, and individual, and leads to loss Pages: 167-174 Original Article of personal, occupational, family and social achievements. This experimental pretest-posttest study with control group aimed to 1. Department of Psychology, School of determine the effect of group logotherapy in reducing depression Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran and increasing hope in drug addicts. From a total of 70 addicts, 2. Department of Law, School of Law, 60 were selected by random sampling method, and finally 20 Kermanshah Islamic Azad University, were selected with the highest scores in Beck's depression Kermanshah, Iran inventory and the lowest scores in Snyder’s adult hope scale, Correspondence to: Mohamad Khaledian, Department of Psychology, School of who were then randomly divided into control and trial groups. Psychology, Payame Noor University, The trial group received 10 sessions of group logotherapy, and Tehran, Iran the control group received no intervention at all. Data were Email: Mohamad_khaledian22@yahoo. com analyzed using descriptive and inferential (covariance analysis) statistics. Results showed significantly lower mean depression Received: 16 Jan 2014 scores, and significantly higher mean hope scores in posttest in Accepted: 18 Mar 2014 trial group compared to control group. According to results, it How to cite this article: Khaledian M, can be concluded that group logotherapy is effective in reducing Yarahmadi M, Mahmoudfakhe H. Effect of group logotherapy in depression and hope in depression and increasing hope in drug addicts. drug addicts. J Research & Health2016; 6(1): 167-174. Keywords: Addiction, Depression, Hopefulness, Logotherapy, Opiates Introduction Drug addiction is a global problem, and somehow the world health organization, adolescents’ involves every country; each adopting different needs, tendencies and behavioral patterns are solutions according to its own economic, social changing in parallel to progress of societies, and cultural infrastructures [1]. In today's and the pattern of drug abuse among youths is world, addiction is the biggest social problem, rapidly changing from traditional to industrial with increasing spread among the youth. Use of drugs across the globe, including in Iran and addictive substances has a long history in Iran, its capital, Tehran. UN office on drugs and and the plants from which substances such as Crime in Iran has warned about the spread opium and cannabis are produced are native of industrial drugs in Iran [2]. Nothing has to Iran; however, according to statistics and ever threatened human society like addiction. reports from international institutions such as Despite dangers and side-effects of addiction, Group therapy on depression and life hope victims of this deadly trap are increasing daily, paths toward desired goals, and necessary and witnessing its frightening scenes is not motivation for using these paths. Hope is deemed serious by other people, especially the powerful only when it includes worthwhile youth [3]. Given the lowering age of addiction, goals, and when there is possibility to achieve human and material costs of fighting the them in medium-term, despite challenging but supply and distribution of drugs, physical and feasible obstacles [7]. Hopelessness causes psychological complications, spending a lot the individuals to be passive, so they cannot of time and money, low success rate, and lack assess their different situations or make of rehabilitation motivation for addicts who decisions about them. Hopelessness leaves the receive treatment only to relieve withdrawal individuals defenseless and trapped against symptoms, has led to unfavorable outcomes of stressors, and weakens their problem-solving addicts’ treatment. Moreover, studies show that skills. It further makes them constantly assess 20% to 90% of addicts undergoing medication their experiences negatively and incorrectly, therapy relapse [4]. Review of previous studies and consider worrying outcomes for their shows that without psychosocial interventions, problems [10]. maintenance medication therapy is not very One of the strategies to reduce hopelessness and successful, due to emphasis on medication only depression in people is through logotherapy, [5]. It seems rehabilitation and harm reduction which is an existential approach that provides centers need psychological therapies to change an excellent philosophical and theoretical attitude of drug abusers. Thus, the need for context for teamwork. Group logotherapy psychological and non-medication therapies is can prepare the conceptual structure to help felt more than ever before [6]. patients in the challenge to find meaning Beck defines depression as a disorder that in their lives [11]. Thus, logotherapy is a involves changes in emotional, motivational, method that steers the patient toward finding behavioral, cognitive, and physical domains. meaning of life. The principle of logotherapy Depression is a state of sadness and boredom, is an endeavor to find meaning in life, which and as an illness, it involves a wide range of is the most essential motivational force in mood disorders with many forms. The central human being [12]. Frankl argues that there is features of depression include profound loss nothing in the world that can help mankind of desire for normal pleasurable activities more than finding his existential "meaning" such as friendly talks, leisure, exercise, food [13]. Frankl is of the opinion that a sense of and libido. Anhedonia is a penetrating and meaninglessness is a major existential neurosis persistent state, and its severity depends on in modern life. Meaninglessness leads to the number of symptoms and their depth. In emptiness or a condition that Frankl refers some people, facing obstacles causes a kind of to as existential emptiness. Since there is no depression, in which a sense of abandonment, predetermined plan in life, people are faced vacuum, and harsh memories of separations are with the task of creating their own meaning. revived [7]. Aging, loss of dear ones, especially Sometimes, people with a sense of emptiness, spouses, distance from children, chronic avoid any attempt to create a purposeful life. diseases, use of various medications, cognitive Experiencing meaninglessness and forming decline, and natural and biological factors are values that are part of a meaningful life are all predisposing factors for depression and issues that should be raised in counseling anxiety in the elderly [8]. The theory of hope sessions. The new concept of "logotherapy" was proposed by Snyder, and provides an was created to help patients to find meaning important framework for understanding hope in in life [14]. Yalum and Frankl basically counseling and clinical works [9]. Hope is one expect that like pleasure, meaning should be of the concepts in teachings of Quran and Islam. implicitly sought. Finding meaning in life Hope is a set of personal capabilities for creating results from engagement that is a sense of 168 Khaledian et al commitment to creating, loving, working, and group logotherapy effective in increasing constructing [15]. hope in drug addicts"? Results of a study by Mohrinejad and Rajabi- Moghadam on the efficacy of logotherapy in Method increasing hope in addicts passing a short-term This is a pretest-posttest experimental study rehabilitation program confirmed the efficacy of with a control group. Study population logotherapy [16]. Results of a study by Garfami consisted of 70 drug addicts attending et al, on the effect of group logotherapy in methadone-therapy center in Gharveh (the reducing symptoms of psychological problems west of Iran) 2013, of whom, a sample of 60 in women with breast cancer showed reduction was randomly selected according to Chrissie- in psychological disorders including depression Morgan Table [21]. Then, 20 with the highest in these women [17]. Similarly, Moshtaghi et al scores in depression scale and the lowest [18]. study on the effect of group logotherapy scores in hope scale were selected, who were in improving psychological health of the blind then randomly divided into control and trial in Isfahan showed enhanced psychological groups. The trial group received 10 sessions health and reduced depression in this group of group logotherapy based on Frankl theory, [18]. In a study by Shoaa-Kazemi and Saadati but the control group received no intervention. [12], hopelessness in women with cancer Study instruments: In this study, data were was reduced after teaching them logotherapy collected using two questionnaires: dimensions (responsibility, freedom, value, and 1. The revised Beck's Depression Inventory …) [12]. In Gholami et al [19]. study, life and (BDI-II): A 21-item, self-reporting questionnaire, general health were improved and depression designed to assess depression, with 4 options for was reduced in female thalassemia patients as each item, and scores ranging from 0 to 3, with a result of group logotherapy [19]. Results of a overall score from 0 to 63. Beck believes that study by Ghanbari, Zarandi and Godarzi [20] the revised version is able to show severity of showed improved general health and reduced depression