The correlation between drug abuse belief, refusal of self-efficacy and drug craving of patients in the treatment of methadone replacement treatment

This study investigates the intricate interrelationships among drug abuse beliefs (DAB), drug craving of patients (DCP), and refusal self-efficacy (RSE) in individuals undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). It establishes a theoretical foundation for optimizing psychosocial interventions and mitigating relapse risk among MMT patients. The study employed a purposive sampling method, administering questionnaires to patients receiving MMT at three methadone clinics in Wenzhou, utilizing localized measurement scales for DAB, DCP, and RSE. The analyses revealed three primary findings: (1) Erroneous DAB were significantly and positively correlated with elevated levels of DCP; (2) Rather than functioning solely in a sequential manner, both DAB and DCP acted as robust, independent, and parallel negative predictors of patients’ RSE; (3) The adverse effects of distorted cognitive beliefs on willpower were fundamentally intertwined with the immediate psychological experience of craving, collectively undermining behavioral confidence in maintaining abstinence. These conclusions enhance the understanding of the dual psychological vulnerabilities to relapse among Chinese MMT patients, underscoring the necessity of concurrently integrating cognitive belief restructuring and craving management into standard pharmacological treatments.