None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study was to investigate an internet based treatment for pathological gambling. Participants were randomly allocated to three groups; an internet based treatment based on cognitive behavioural strategies, an internet based treatment based on motivational and supportive techniques, and a waitlist control. The two treatment groups consists of one weekly session, for six weeks duration. Participants in the waitlist control group were offered treatment on completion of the six week wait period. Measures were taken pre treatment, mid treatment/ wait, and post treatment/ wait, as well as some weekly measures throughout treatment.
Interventions
Arm 1:Internet-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for pathological gambling. Content of treatment involved assessment, psychoeducation, strategies to challenge gambling related cognitions, and strategies to reduce gambling related behaviours. There were four therapists involved in the program. Each therapist had experience delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and held provisional registration as psychologists. Each psychologist undertook weekly supervision with the primary author (Casey). The
Arm 1:Internet-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for pathological gambling. Content of treatment involved assessment, psychoeducation, strategies to challenge gambling related cognitions, and strategies to reduce gambling related behaviours. There were four therapists involved in the program. Each therapist had experience delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and held provisional registration as psychologists. Each psychologist undertook weekly supervision with the primary author (Casey). There were six session total, with one session completed per week over the internet. Each session was expected to take participants approximately 1 hour to complete. Adherence was monitored by recording the number of online sessions completed by each participant.
Sponsors
Griffith University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Meet criteria for pathological gambling, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, fourth editions (DSM-IV-TR).
Exclusion criteria
If the participant was already receiving additional assistance for their gambling problem, if they were involved in legal proceedings related to their gambling behaviour, if they were not proficient with English, were at a high risk of suicide, were acutely psychotic, or if the gambling behaviour only occurred in the context of a Manic Episode.
Outcome results
None listed