The Effectiveness of Group Clinical Creativity Therapy on Improving Anxiety, Depression, and Resilience in Women with Substance Use Disorders
Keywords:
Clinical creativity therapy, anxiety, depression, resilience, substance use disorderAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of group clinical creativity therapy in reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing resilience among women with substance use disorders.
Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group and a one-month follow-up assessment. The statistical population consisted of women with substance use disorders in Qazvin, Iran, during 2022–2023. Thirty participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received ten 120-minute sessions of group clinical creativity therapy, whereas the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Data analysis was conducted using univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).
Findings: ANCOVA results demonstrated significant differences between the experimental and control groups in anxiety at posttest (F = 29.149, p < .001) and follow-up (F = 24.957, p < .001). Significant reductions were also observed in depression at posttest (F = 11.382, p = .002) and follow-up (F = 8.394, p = .008). However, no significant group differences were found for resilience at posttest (F = 1.002, p = .326) or follow-up (F = 0.107, p = .746). These findings indicate that the intervention effectively reduced anxiety and depression, whereas its effect on resilience was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Group clinical creativity therapy appears to be an effective psychological intervention for reducing anxiety and depression among women with substance use disorders, with benefits maintained at least one month after treatment completion. Nevertheless, the intervention did not significantly improve resilience. The findings support the integration of creativity-based therapeutic approaches into substance abuse treatment programs while suggesting the need for more intensive or specialized interventions to strengthen resilience outcomes.
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