Abstract
BackgroundResearch has shown that drug use disorder (DUD) is a detrimental, chronic and life limiting condition that has significant clinical and financial implications to the individual and society. One psychological intervention that has been widely utilised within the clinical setting for treating a range of DUDs is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). When systematically reviewed, CBT for substance misuse has produced generally small but significant results in past meta-analyses and reviews. However, such reviews are outdated, having been conducted over 10 years ago, and since then new CBT manuals, programmes and empirical research have been published. Therefore, this systematic review aimedto provide an up to date picture on the current CBT evidence-base for DUD.
ObjectivesThe aim of this review was to systematically explore the current evidence base for CBT efficacy across a range of different DUDs, primarily identifying the impact CBT has in reducing illicit drug use at post intervention and follow-up periods. It also aimed to determine how particular study, sample and CBT programme characteristics may influence the CBT outcomes obtained.
MethodsFive online databases (Embase, PsycINFO, MEDLINE (Pubmed), the Cochrane central register of controlled trials and Web of Science) were systematically searched for randomised control trials (RCTs) that investigated the efficacy of CBT in adult DUD populations, following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were assessed against the review’s inclusion criteria;quality assessment procedures were undertaken,and relevant data was extracted from each RCT.
| Date of Award | 1 Oct 2020 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Tim Meynen (Supervisor) & John Marsden (Supervisor) |