Effectiveness of Stress Management Training Program For Expressed Emotions in Caregivers of Drug Induced Psychosis Patients Specially Methamphetamine

Background and Rationale Caring for individuals with methamphetamine ("ice") addictionspecially those who experience methamphetamine induced psychosis places an extraordinarypsychological and emotional burden on family caregivers. Except the high prevalence ofcaregiver burnout and chronic distress in this population, accessible psychologicalsupport remains limited. This study aims to address this gap by evaluating a O'Connormodel of Stress Management Training (SMT) to support caregivers who face geographic,financial, or logistical barriers to receiving in‐person psychological services.Study Objectives The primary objective of this experimental study is to investigate theefficacy of a Stress Management Training module in reducing perceived stress andimproving coping mechanisms among caregivers of patients with methamphetamine addiction.Methodology & Intervention Protocol Research Design: This is an experimental, randomizedpre‐test/post‐test control group design.Intervention Program: The active treatment group will undergo a structured StressManagement Training program adapted from the O'Connor Stress Management Training module.The training sessions will be delivered physically at Allied 2 hospital Faislabad.Control Group: Participants in the control group will be placed on a wait list and willbe offered the stress management training program upon the completion of the active studyperiod.Key Intervention Components:Psychoeducation regarding caregiver stress and the cycle of addiction. Cognitiverestructuring and identifying negative cognitive distortions. Practical coping skills,emotional regulation strategies, and problem‐solving techniques.Guided progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and mindfulness‐based breathing exercises.Outcome Measures and Data Collection Data collection will occur at two primary intervals:baseline (pre‐intervention) and post‐intervention (immediately following the finaltraining session). The primary outcome measure for assessing perceived psychologicaldistress will be the standardized Perceived Stress Scale‐10 (PSS‐10), utilized in itsvalidated Urdu version to ensure linguistic and cultural appropriateness for the targetpopulation.