Abstract
BACKGROUND: Substance abuse, as a major global issue, not only affects individuals but also impacts family members, particularly women. Meanwhile, post-traumatic growth and resilience are important factors in the recovery process for these women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a resilience-based intervention in facilitating post-traumatic growth among women with addicted spouses. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted involving women with addicted partners (n=30) in Qom during the years 2021 and 2022. Participants were randomly allocated to the two groups of intervention and control. A demographic information form, post-traumatic growth questionnaire, resilience scale, perceived stress scale, and the Connor-Davidson coping skills questionnaire, were used to collect data at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up (three months later). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software (version 22.0), with a significance level of P<0.05. FINDINGS: The findings demonstrated a significant increase in scores of resilience (η (2)=0.015), post-traumatic growth (η (2)=0.185), emotion-focused coping skills (η (2)=0.253), and problem-focused coping skills (η (2)=0.131) in the intervention group between pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages (P<0.001). However, the intervention did not influence perceived stress (η (2)=0.017) (P=0.473). No significant changes were observed in these variables in the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that the resilience intervention resulted in enhanced post-traumatic growth, coping abilities, and resilience in women with addicted spouses. Implementing this intervention in mental health centers and addiction recovery programs not only enhances the mental well-being of these women but also contributes to the psychological well-being of their families.