Brief Therapies for Problem Gambling Substance Abusers

UConn Health

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gambling

Treatments: Behavioral: four 50-minute individual therapy sessions of MET & CBT; Behavioral: 10 minutes of psycho-education; Behavioral: 10 minutes of brief advice

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00685048

R01DA021567-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

R01DA021567 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

07-108-2

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project evaluates the efficacy of brief interventions for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders who also have gambling problems. In total, 220 problem gambling substance abusers will be randomized to one of three conditions: (a) a control condition consisting of 10 minutes of psychoeducation about gambling, (b) 10 minutes of brief advice about problem gambling and how to reduce it, or (c) four session of motivational and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gambling, substance use and psychosocial problems will be assessed using standardized instruments at pre-treatment, month 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24-month follow-up evaluations.

Enrollment: 220 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age > 18 years
• current (past-year) DSM-IV criteria for alcohol, cocaine, opioid or marijuana abuse or dependence
• score >3 on the past-two month SOGS
• report an average of >2 gambling days per month for the past 2 months; (e) spent an average of >$50/month on gambling in the past 2 months
• English speaking
• sign informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• have uncontrolled major psychiatric disorders other than substance use that require inpatient hospitalization (e.g., active bipolar disorder, psychosis, suicidality)
• desire specific gambling treatment or are currently receiving treatment for gambling
• have severe cognitive impairment
• read below 5th grade level
• plan to relocate >100 miles or are likely to be incarcerated

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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220 participants in 3 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

psychoeducation

Treatment:

Behavioral: 10 minutes of psycho-education

2

Experimental group

Description:

brief advice

Treatment:

Behavioral: 10 minutes of brief advice

3

Experimental group

Description:

Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)/Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Treatment:

Behavioral: four 50-minute individual therapy sessions of MET & CBT