Cross-sectional comparison of individual and group psychosocial programs among individuals on probation with substance use problems in Türkiye.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine whether participation in individual versus group-based psychosocial programs was associated with differences in love of life, sustained hope, cognitive flexibility, perceived social support, self-efficacy, addiction severity, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among individuals on probation who use substances. Materials and method: This cross-sectional, comparative study included one hundred participants who applied to the Ankara West Probation Directorate due to substance use and were placed on probation. Participants were assessed while enrolled in routine probation-based psychosocial programs, which are delivered over ten sessions in a duration of twenty weeks, either as individual interviews (n = 50) or as a group-based psychoeducation and counseling program (n = 50). Data collection involved a sociodemographic form as well as the Addiction Profile Index-Short Form (BAPI-Short), Love of Life Scale, Hope Scale, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale; and depression and anxiety subscales of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. The two groups were compared using t-tests and chi-square tests for sociodemographic variables; analysis of covariance was used for psychosocial scales, with age, gender, education level, and income as covariates. Results: Participants in the individual and group programs were found to be similar in terms of age and basic sociodemographic characteristics. No significant difference was found in the total scores of the BAPI-Short, which indicates the severity of addiction. However, participants in the group program had significantly higher levels of love of life, sustained hope, cognitive flexibility, perceived social support, and self-efficacy, and significantly lower scores for depression and anxiety compared to those in the individual program. These differences persisted even after controlling for sociodemographic covariates and showed small-to-moderate effect sizes. Conclusion: In this cross-sectional sample, participants in the group-based program had more favorable psychosocial profiles, including higher levels of love of life, hope, cognitive flexibility, perceived social support, and self-efficacy, as well as lower depression and anxiety scores, than those in the individual program. These findings indicate an association between participation in group-based programs and more favorable psychosocial outcomes; however, due to the cross-sectional design, the absence of baseline assessments, and the possibility of selection bias, no causal conclusions can be drawn. Longitudinal and randomized studies are needed to clarify the direction and nature of these relationships.