Comparing the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Stages of Change Model on Improving Abstinence Self-Efficacy in Iranian Substance Dependent Adolescents

Objective: The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of two therapeutic approaches, namely, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Stages of Change Model (SOC) on improving abstinence self-efficacy in adolescent addicts. Methods: Forty five self-referred adolescent addicts were randomly selected to take part in this study. Initial assessment was made using the following questionnaires: The University of Rhodes Island Change Assessment (URICA), General Self–Efficacy Questionnaire (GSE), and Adolescent Self–Efficacy Scale (ASES). Subjects were placed in two experimental (CBT, SOC) groups and one control group (three groups in all). The two experimental groups received twice a week interventions for 12 weeks and then were post tested and once again reassessed in a two-month follow up. Results: Results clearly highlighted the effectiveness of the two models of intervention on general and special self-efficacy. The effectiveness of SOC proved greater than CBT on general self-efficacy in both posttest as well as the two-month follow up. Whereas CBT was more effective than SOC on special self-efficacy in posttest, SOC was more effective than CBT on dimensions of special self-efficacy in the follow up assessment. Conclusions: Both CBT and SOC improve general and situational self-efficacy. Hence SOC may have more permanent and long lasting effect on self-efficacy than CBT.