Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment of Pathological Gambling

UConn Health

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 1

Conditions

Gambling

Treatments

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy

Behavioral: Referral to Gamblers Anonymous

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral self-help manual

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00158314

R01MH060417-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

DATR A2-AIR

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three different treatment strategies in reducing gambling behaviors.

Full description

The number of pathological gamblers in the United States is steadily growing, leading to significant financial, psychological, and public health consequences. However, studies examining the effectiveness of treatment interventions for pathological gamblers are limited. This study will compare the effectiveness of three different treatment strategies, including referral to Gambler's Anonymous (GA), a self-help manual, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in reducing gambling behaviors and other problems related to pathological gambling.

This study will last 8 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions. Group 1 participants will be referred to GA and 8 weeks of CBT, which focuses on teaching skills to help reduce gambling urges and develop alternative behaviors to gambling. Group 2 participants will be referred to GA and given an 8-week self-help manual. Group 3 participants will be referred to GA alone. Questionnaires will be used to assess participants' gambling behavior and any personal, legal, or health problems they may be experiencing. The questionnaires will be completed at study entry, study completion, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up visits.

Participants will be asked to identify at least one person who knows about their gambling problem and will have regular contact with them during the study and for at least 1 year This person will be interviewed at the beginning of the study, and at Months 2, 6 and 12. Researchers will ask contact persons about participants' gambling behaviors, personal relationships, legal problems, use of health care and mental health services, and how the participant can be contacted if he or she moves.

For information on related studies, please follow these links:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00118391

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00618462

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria