Predicting relapse to drug use based on perceived social support, drug-related beliefs, and distress tolerance in addicts in treatment

Subject Areas : Clinical Psychology and Social Health

Amir Hossein Tajik ¹ , Fatemeh Forozesh Yekta ^{2 *}

1 - M.A of Clinical Psychology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Email: [e-mail]
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, West Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Email: [e-mail]

Received: 2025-02-14 Accepted : 2025-06-01 Published : 2025-07-19

Keywords: Relapse to drug use, drug-related beliefs, distress tolerance, perceived social support, addicts in treatment.,

Abstract :

The aim of this study was to predict relapse to drug use based on perceived social support, drug-related beliefs, and distress tolerance in addicts undergoing treatment. The present study was an applied study in terms of its purpose and a descriptive correlational study using multiple regression analysis in terms of its data collection method. The statistical population of this study included all drug addicts who referred to addiction treatment centers in Pakdasht city in the second quarter of 2024 and were undergoing treatment. A sample of 132 people was selected using convenience sampling. Participants responded to the relapse prediction scale (Wright, 1993), the perceived social support scale (Zimmet., 1988), the drug-related beliefs questionnaire (Wright and Beck, 1993), and the distress tolerance questionnaire (Simmons and Gaher, 2005). The data were analyzed by calculating correlation coefficients and multiple regression. The results showed that the relationship between perceived social support and its components with relapse to drug use was negative and significant. A significant relationship was obtained between drug-related beliefs and its components with relapse to drug use. Distress tolerance and its components had a negative and significant relationship with relapse to drug use. Also, the variables of perceived social support, drug-related beliefs, and distress tolerance simultaneously predicted 43 percent of the variable of relapse to drug use, such that the effect of perceived social support and distress tolerance on relapse to drug use was negative and the effect of drug-related beliefs was positive.

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