Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder protocols generally range from 12 to 26 sessions.

Evidence for the intervention

There is moderate quality and heterogeneous evidence for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorder (CBT-SUD). Effect sizes tend to be higher for individuals receiving CBT-SUD for cannabis than for opioids or stimulants, and there have been mixed results when examining the effects of CBT-SUD as an adjunct to medication for opioid use disorder (OUD). A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2020 concluded “the evidence cautiously suggests that for OUD, there may be some benefit to adding non-individual CBT to buprenorphine therapy.” We therefore give this a rating of yellow.

Evidence-based Scale

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder (CBT-OUD) protocols generally range from 12 to 26 sessions. In a review of multiple studies of CBT combined with medication, the average number of sessions was 16. Early sessions tend to focus on the functional analysis and case conceptualization, while later sessions focus on skill building.