Treatment of pathological gambling: A comparative study between a cognitive behavioral program and a minimal intervention program

Aims. The study aims at recruiting and offering adequate help for persons with a primary gambling addiction in Helse Vest. A positive treatment outcome is defined as a reduction in a number of gambling addiction symptoms, psychologically, socially and eco nomically. Design and setting. This randomized clinical trial addresses the following question: What will be the comparative treatment outcomes of two intervention strategies? A cognitive behavioral treatment program will be applied in an outpatient set ting, and will be compared with a minimal intervention condition, including a self help program. Will a minimal intervention approach, demanding less personell resources, be as effective as a comprehensive treatment program? All the participants will be e xamined at pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 12 months follow-up. Participants/recruitment. A total of 60 participants will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of the two intervention conditions. To secure an even gender distribution in the two groups, gender will be a matching variable. .Measurements The most important instruments are: The South Oaks Gambling Screen: The questionnaire measures the severity of the gambling problem. Both life-time prevalence data and data for the last thre e months will be collected. Random Events Knowledge Test: Measures the extent of cognitive misperceptions associated with gambling and likelihood of winning SCL-90-R: Assessment of mental health symptoms and complaints AUDIT: Screening questionnaire for a lcohol dependence Diagnostic Interview for Gambling Severity: Measures the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria Potential for application Since there are 1-3 percent prevalence rates of gambling addiction in Norway, higher in the younger groups, it is important to develop cost-effective methods to reduce this problem. There is a great need of a treatment evaluation studies on this issue, focusing on both the outcome as well as the efectiveness.