Efficacy of the Therapeutic Game "Trisquel" in the Treatment of Patients With Substance-Related Disorders Randomized Clinical Study.

Substance-related disorders (SRD) have been consistently associated with alterations both in cognitive and executive functions, which affect to patients' quality of life. The main objective of this work was to test the beneficial cognitive effects on patients with SRD after the implementation of "Trisquel," an intervention program in board game format. To check the effectiveness of Trisquel program, a group of people diagnosed with SRD was randomly assigned either to the experimental group or to the control group. The experimental group performed Trisquel structured sessions twice a week during 3 months, while the control group performed routinely conventional therapeutic activities with the same frequency and duration. Neuropsychological tests were done to both groups before and after the intervention. After the 3 months of intervention the experimental group showed the following statistically significant improvements for WAIS-III subtests: number key, symbol search, arithmetic, direct digits, inverse digits, total digits, letters-numbers in the processing speed index and in the working memory index. Regarding STROOP tests, statistically significant progress was observed in the phonetic fluency letter P, phonetic fluency letter M, phonetic fluency letter R subtests, word-reading and word-color subtests. The control group only obtained improvements for WAIS-III subtests of arithmetic, letters-numbers and in the working memory index. The results of this study confirm that "Trisquel" is an effective intervention program for people diagnosed with SRD, getting improvements in processing speed (psychomotor and reading), attentional subprocesses (focused and sustained) and executive functions (updating and inhibition).

[Evolution of treatment and consumption in persons with cocaine dependence, at 12-months, in respect of the associated psychopathology and daily functioning]. / Evolución del tratamiento y consumo en personas con dependencia de la cocaína, a los doce meses, en función de la psicopatología asociada y el funcionamiento cotidiano.

The aim of the present study is to analyse the evolution, at 12-months, of patients with cocaine dependence undergoing treatment in drug abuse centres. We examined the relationship between sociodemographic variables, drug use characteristics, and psychopathological characteristics with maintenance of drug abstinence and the evolution of daily functioning evaluated by the therapist at 3-, 6- and 12-months. The most outstanding results are that subjects with a dependent personality pattern, according to the MCMI-II, are more likely to maintain cocaine abstinence during the 12-months following the preliminary assessment. Moreover, the variables more related with a worse daily functioning at 12-months are injected or smoked cocaine use, previous treatments for drug use and having used heroin on some occasion. Therefore, drug related aspects and not psychopathological characteristics are more important when analysing the 12-months evolution in these subjects.

¿Cómo evolucionan las personas con dependencias de la cocaína que está en tratamiento? Estudio a los tres y seis meses / The evolution of people on treatment for cocaine dependence. Follow up at three and six months

Las demandas de tratamiento en los Centro de Drogodependencias por problemas con el consumo de cocaína se están incrementando en España. El objetivo del presente estudio es en primer lugar, analizar la evolución (a partir de las evaluaciones realizadas por su psicólgo) en las áreas de psicopatología, funcionamiento familiar, laboral y judicial; en segundo lugar, la abstinencia en el consumo de cocaína y en tercer lugar, la permanencia en tratamiento a los tres y seis meses de personas con dependencia a la cocaína en tratamiento en Centro de Drogodependencias de Galicia. En la evalución inicial disponemos de las evaluaciones realizadas por los psicólogos de 113 sujetos, alos tres meses tenemos datos de 105 sujetos y a los seis de 89 sujetos. A los tres meses, el 58.5% de los sujetos de los que tenemos datos permanecen abstinentes; a los seis meses siguen sin consumir el 38%. La evolución en todas las áreas a partir de la evaluación que hace el psicólogo es positiva, encontrándose diferencias significativas en las áreas psicopatológica y familiar. Estos resultados son positivos tanto a nivel de abstinencia como de retención en tratamiento y mejora en las áreas evaluadas

The treatment demands in the Centres of Drug Abuse due to problems with cocaine consumption are increasing in Spain. The objective of the present study is to analyze, firstly the evolution (starting from the evaluations carried out by therapist) in the psychopathological, familiar, labour and judicial areas, secondly, the abstinence in terms of cocaine dependence in Galicia (Spain) after three and six months. With regard to initial evolution, we have to our disposal the evaluations carried out by therapists of 113 subjects. After a period of three months, we have data of 105 subjects and after six months period we have data of 98 subjects. After the three-months period, the 58.5% of those previously mensured subjects remain abstinent, and after six months a 38% continues without consuming cocaine. The therapist, is positive and there are even significative difference in the psychopathological and familiar areas. These results are good in terms of abstinence, and retention in treatment and they improve in the evaluated areas