Non-pharmacological Interventions for Problematic Substance Use: a Rapid Overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews

AbstractA Rapid review of Cochrane Systematic Reviews to identify the non-pharmacological  interventions in substance use treatment services and their effectiveness levels where reported. Cochrane systematic reviews were matched to the inclusion criteria and data extracted. A total of 667 studies and 532041 participants are included. The non-pharmacological interventions found can be  grouped into three categories: information dissemination, non-specialized face to face interactions, and qualified therapeutic interventions. The measured intervention effectiveness ranged from poor to moderate. The most often reported interventions were cognitive behavioural therapy, motivatio nal interviewing, mindfulness, and contingency management. A wide range of non-pharmacological interventions are being used to treat problematic substance use despite the lack of supportive effectiveness evidence. Missing non-pharmacological interventions include creative arts interventions and lived experience recovery organisations, both of which are gaining momentum in the treatment of substance use.
Source: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Category: Addiction Source Type: research