Background: Substance use disorder is a major mental health challenge, and relapse after abstinence is the primary cause of failure in maintenance treatment. Self-healing training is an emerging approach that focuses on modifying maladaptive beliefs, improving emotion regulation, and strengthening self-care behaviors.
Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of self-healing training on relapse prediction among patients undergoing maintenance treatment for substance use disorder.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a one-month follow-up and a control group. The study was conducted in 2025 among 35 patients (17 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group) attending Shush Clinic in Tehran. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. The intervention group received 14 sessions of group-based self-healing training. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Relapse Prediction Scale (RPS), which includes two subscales: craving intensity and likelihood of substance use in high-risk situations. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and repeated-measures analysis of covariance, controlling for age and number of hospitalizations.
Results: The time × group interaction effect was significant for the total RPS score and its subscales (p < 0.001). Mean scores in the intervention group significantly decreased from 258.35 at pretest to 95.29 at posttest and 86.76 at follow-up, with sustained effects, while no significant changes were observed in the control group.
Implications for Practice: Self-healing training is an effective complementary intervention for reducing relapse prediction in patients receiving maintenance treatment and can be integrated into routine clinical practice.