The Effect of a Brief Intervention for Problem Gamblers

Karolinska Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gambling Problem

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); Behavioral: Regular help-line telephone counselling

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04609007

2017/1063-31

Details and patient eligibility

About

A pragmatic randomized pilot trial primarily examining the feasibility of a brief therapist guided online self-help program based on Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Participants will be randomized to either a treatment as usual condition (TAU) or to TAU plus CBT.

Full description

The current study is a pragmatic randomized pilot trial examining the feasibility and effects of a brief therapist guided online self-help program based on Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) . Participants will be randomized to either a treatment as usual condition (TAU) or to TAU plus CBT.

Participants will be recruited via the Swedish national gambling helpline. After assessment for eligibility participants will be randomized, using block randomization to ensure balanced groups, to either TAU or TAU+CBT.

The participants will be measured; at baseline, weekly during the intervention (6 weeks), immediately after the intervention and at 6 weeks after treatment termination. Informed consent will be collected prior any data collection.

Enrollment: 36 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ≥ 18 years
• Experiencing gambling problems (PGSI ≥ 3 p)
• Good enough knowledge in Swedish
• Access to a smart phone or computer with internet connection

Exclusion criteria

• Being involved in another treatment study the previous 3 months
• Other concurrent treatment for gambling problems
• Being on a non-stable pharmacological treatment for any psychiatric condition
• Severe depression defined as a PHQ-9 score of 20 points or more

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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36 participants in 2 patient groups

Treatment as usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

The TAU condition consists of a single session of regular help-line telephone counselling

Treatment:

Behavioral: Regular help-line telephone counselling

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental condition consists of a single session of regular help-line telephone counselling plus four therapist guided online CBT sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)