Effectiveness of Attachment-Based Therapy in Reducing Slippage, Recurrence, Cravings, and Continued Abstinence in Drug-Dependent Borderline Personality Disorder Patients

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of attachment-based therapy in reducing slippage, recurrence, cravings, and continued abstinence in drug-dependent borderline personality disorder patients. Materials & Methods: This interventional semi-experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest design with a control group and quarterly follow-up. The statistical population of the study was all people with substance abuse and borderline personality disorders who were referred to addiction treatment centers in Kermanshah, Iran. In total, 40 individuals were selected using the available sampling method, and they were then divided into attachment therapy (n=20) and control groups (n=20). The data were collected using the Revised Adult Attachment Scale, Borderline Personality Disorder Questionnaire, McMullin Addiction Thought Scale, and a researcher-made questionnaire measuring slippage, recurrence, cravings, and abstinence based on attachment by Jahanbakhsh et al., 2011. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 23) using multivariate analysis of covariance to investigate the gender and mean differences between the groups. Ethics code: IR.MEDILAM.REC.1399.280 Findings: The findings showed changes in the rate of slippage, recurrence, craving, and abstinence at pretest and posttest in both experimental and control groups. Moreover, there was a significant difference between males and females regarding the recurrence rate, which was also significant in the persistence stage. However, no significant difference was observed between males and females regarding slippage, craving, and continued abstinence. Discussions & Conclusions: Attachment-based therapy had effects on reducing slippage, recurrence, and craving, as well as increasing continued abstinence