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Effectiveness of the Adolescent-Community Reinforcement Approach for Treating Cannabis Use Disorder in Iranian Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial Publisher Pubmed



Mehr NK1 ; Lavasani FF1 ; Noroozi A2 ; Farahani H3 ; Gharraee B1
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Behavioral Science and Mental Health (Tehran Institute of Psychiatry), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Source: Acta Psychologica Published:2024


Abstract

The Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA) is an evidence-based intervention for adolescents with cannabis use disorder (CUD). This study evaluated the effectiveness of A-CRA among Iranian adolescents with CUD. A total of 40 male adolescents aged 15 to 18 (Mean = 15.87, SD = 1.02), diagnosed with CUD, were recruited from child labor welfare educational centers in Tehran through purposive sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to the A-CRA group (n = 20) or Treatment as Usual (TAU) group (n = 20). Assessments were conducted pre-test, post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up. The results revealed that A-CRA was associated with higher rates of abstinence, reduced frequency of cannabis use, decreased substance-related problems, and lower levels of psychological distress. Additionally, adolescents in the A-CRA group demonstrated improvements in health-promoting lifestyles and more positive mother-adolescent relationships. These findings support the efficacy of A-CRA in addressing multiple dimensions of CUD in Iranian adolescents. © 2024 The Authors