Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Low Motivation to Change: Randomized Controlled Trial in a Psychiatric Hospital in Gaza Strip

Abstract

Abstract The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) program in reinforcing motivation to change among patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) in the Gaza Strip. The experimental design was used, Participants were 30 males distributed randomly into two groups: experimental and control, (n = 15) per group, using a random sampling method. The experimental group was subjected to a CBT program consisting of (16) sessions over two months. The control group did not undergo any program. Motivation to change scale was applied pre, post- and after two months of follow up. The study shows that weight mean for motivation to change in the pre-experimental group equals to 49.4% and the weight mean post-experimental group equals 65.07%, in another hand, the weight mean in pre-control group equals 41.8% and the weight mean post- control group equals 41.3%. The study found P-value equals 0.000, which is less than 0.05 in both groups in the posttest. Also, p-value 0.001 “ which is less than 0.05 in pre-test and post-intervention. Besides, the effect size for the CBT program in motivation to change equals 24.7%. The results revealed that p-value equals 0.001 which is less than 0.05 in post-test and follow-up, the results proved the significant effectiveness of CBT and its survival, The study conclude that CBT sessions have been effective and successful in reinforcing the motivation to change among patients with SUDs. Keywords: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; Motivation to change; Substance Use Disorders