Effectiveness evaluation of Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program in drug addiction rehabilitation center.

The Serigaya Methamphetamine Relapse Prevention Program (SMARPP) cognitive behavioral therapy was implemented among 38 substance. abusers in 12-Step Program Treatment Centers operated by:the Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center (DARC). Tochigi DARC members (20 patients) started SMARPP after attending daily programs in the treatment centers for an extended time (mean period, 17.4 months). Chiba and Tateyama DARC members (18 patients) started SMARPP soon after initiation of treatment (mean period, 1.2 months). We provided SMARPP for approximately 70 days in the treatment centers, in addition to the regular programs, and examined changes in the participants before and after SMARPP. The results showed that the Tochigi DARC members improved significantly after 70 days based on scores from the "taking steps" subscale of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) (Wilcoxon rank sum test, p=0.041) and the "tension-anxiety" subscale of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) (Wilcoxon rank sum test, p=0.004). However, the Chiba and Tateyama DARC members did not improve. In the 12-Step Program Treatment Centers, cognitive behavioral therapy-such as SMARPP seems to be more effective if it is implemented later rather immediately after regular programs.