Personality Patterns in Narcotics Anonymous Members ‎versus Individuals with Addiction Receiving Methadone ‎Maintenance Therapy

Objective: Therapeutic ‎interventions can be classified ‎into two distinct approaches: ‎abstinent and maintenance ‎method. Currently, there are no ‎clear criteria for referring ‎addicted patients to one of these ‎modalities. We aimed to ‎compare the personality ‎characteristics of individuals with ‎addiction who attended narcotics ‎anonymous sessions with those ‎who received methadone ‎maintenance therapy‏.‏ Methods: This was a cross- ‎sectional study. The participants ‎were NA members and patients ‎who were undergoing ‎methadone maintenance ‎treatment in outpatient clinics. ‎Using the randomized cluster ‎sampling method, 200 ‎individuals with opioid ‎dependence were selected (each ‎group 100 persons). Data were ‎collected through a demographic ‎questionnaire and the five-factor ‎personality inventory (NEO-FFI). ‎Comparison of the mean scores ‎of NEO-PPI in the two groups ‎was performed by independent t ‎test, and qualitative variables ‎were compared using the Chi-‎square test‏.‏ Results: We found a significant ‎difference between the MMT and ‎NA groups with respect to ‎neuroticism, extroversion, and ‎agreeableness. No significant ‎difference was found in the ‎subscales of conscientious and ‎openness‏.‏ Conclusion: People who ‎regularly attended the NA ‎sessions had lower neuroticism ‎and higher agreeableness than ‎patients who were under the ‎maintenance modality. Whether ‎this is the cause or effect of ‎attending NA sessions requires ‎future large-scale cohort studies.‎