title: Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU).Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS) were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy) and control groups (the Usual Treatment).The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI) were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Kazem
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Atef Vahid
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gharraee
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran; Head of Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPTO), Iran MoH.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noroozi
authors.affiliation: Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bowen
keywords: Group Therapy; Mindfulness; Opioid