Gambling and Brief Interventions

UConn Health

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gambling

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); Behavioral: Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET); Behavioral: 5 Minutes of Simple Advice

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00183599

DF#00-121

99-205

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will compare four different combinations and durations of motivational enhancement therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and brief advice treatments for gambling versus a non-intervention condition to determine which is most effective in reducing problem gambling.

Full description

Gambling, if done compulsively, can cause psychological, physical, social, and vocational problems. Problem gambling, or compulsive gambling, is a progressive addiction characterized by a preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, and gambling more to make up for losses. This study will compare four different combinations and durations of motivational enhancement therapy (MET), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and brief advice treatments for gambling versus a non-intervention condition to determine which is most effective in reducing problem gambling.

This open-label study will last a total of 9 months. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups. Group 1 will have no intervention and will be instructed to call if they experience any gambling problems. Group 2 will receive 5 minutes of education on the hazards of heavy gambling. In addition, they will receive a 1-page brochure on problem gambling and its consequences. Group 3 will receive a 1-hour session of MET focused on increasing commitment to change by raising awareness of personal consequences of gambling. Group 4 will receive the same MET session as Group 3, as well as three 1-hour sessions of CBT focused on identifying specific social and mood cues associated with gambling. Treatment will end at Week 4. Participants will have two follow-up sessions held over the phone at Week 6 and again 9 months after enrollment. Gambling behavior, employment status, alcohol and drug use, psychiatric problems, and family problems will be assessed.

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Meets criteria for problem gambling
• Two or more gambling episodes per month for 2 months prior to enrollment
• Has spent at least $50 per month on gambling for 2 months prior to enrollment

Exclusion criteria

• Any uncontrolled psychiatric conditions
• Severe cognitive impairment
• Currently receiving treatment for gambling

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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500 participants in 3 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: 5 Minutes of Simple Advice

2

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

3

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)