Intensive Clinic Intervention Plus Psychodrama in Smoking Cessation and Effects on Cessation Outcome

Objective: Psychodrama is a therapeutic discipline, which uses action methods, role training, and group dynamics to facilitate a constructive change in the lives of participants. This study was run to assess the effectiveness of psychodrama on intensive clinic intervention for smoking cessation. Material and Methods: The process and outcome of smoking cessation program using intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy (PT) or CBT and PT plus psychodrama was studied on 113 participants. Sixty-one participants were randomized in CBT and PT plus psychodrama group, and 52 participants were randomised in CBT and PT group. Success rate of smoking cessation was assessed at the end of the first, third and sixth months. Results: At the end of the first and third months, the rates of smoking cessation were 80.3% and 63.9% in study group, and 59.6% and 46.2% in control group (p=0.014 and p=0.044, respectively). In the sixth month, the rate of smoking cessation was 50.8% in the study group and 38.5% in the control group (p=0.130). Conclusion: In this study, we concluded that the intensive clinic intervention plus psychodrama increased the success rate of smoking cessation in the early period.