The effect of mindfulness-based psychoeducation on internalized stigma and substance use tendency in individuals with substance use disorder

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the effect of mindfulness-based psychoeducation on internalized stigma and substance use tendency in individuals with substance use disorder. Material and Method: The study was conducted as a pretest-posttest control group experimental model. The sample of the study consisted of 100 individuals (50 control, 50 experiment) with 80% power, 0.05 margin of error in 95% confidence interval and 0.7% power to represent the universe with power analysis. After ethical approval was obtained, the study was started. The study was conducted between September 2020 and June 2021. The Patient Identification Form, the Internalized Stigma in Mental Illness Scale (RHIDO) and the Substance Use Tendency Scale (BSES) were used to collect data. An 8-session awareness-based psychoeducation program was applied to the experimental group. No intervention was applied to the control group. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, dependent and independent groups t-test was used to evaluate the data. Results: While the mean RHIDO total score of the patients in the experimental group was 86.56±14.87 before the intervention, it was 66.72±10.27 after the intervention. It was determined that the post-test BCI total score average and ISMI sub-dimension and total score average of the patients in the experimental group decreased to a mild level and decreased compared to the pre-test. The difference between the control and experimental group's post-test RHIDO and substance use tendency was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) Conclusion: PT psychoeducation was found to be effective in reducing internalized stigma and substance use disorder tendency in patients with substance use disorder. Keywords: Mindfulness-based psychoeducation, Internalized stigma, substance use disorder, tendency to use substances.