None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The primary aim of the current study is to compare two psychological treatment methods for gambling disorders in the Australian context. One treatment is a cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT; Petry, 2005), that centres on the reinforcement of non-gambling behaviour, and on helping the client identifying “triggers” to their gambling and better managing these. The second treatment is Cognitive Deconstructional Therapy (CDT; Anjoul, unpublished) that centres on identifying client misconceptions about their preferred form of gambling and providing corrective information. Both treatments have displayed benefit in the treatment of problem gambling, and determining which is more effective will be useful knowledge in improving treatment delivery to problem gamblers. The study will be conducted at the University of Sydney’s Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. The clients of the clinic will be invited to participate in the study, with an aim to recruit approximately 200 participants. The study will be conducted as a randomised controlled trial, with eligible participants randomly allocated to one of the two treatment conditions. Treatments will be administered by registered and intern psychologists who have had extensive training in both therapies. Participants will be administered a battery of questionnaire assessments at the commencement of therapy, and completion of therapy, and at 6, 12 and 24 months post-treatment. Including recruitment, treatment and follow-up phases of the research, it is expected that the trial will take approximately 4 years to complete.
Interventions
A cognitively-focused treatment (referred to as Cognitive Deconstructional Therapy, or CDT) focusing on helping clients understand how their erroneous cognitions about how their preferred form of gambling operate result in their gambling behaviour. It then provides corrective information, as well as helping clients better understand their motivation to gamble. CDT contains 8 modules: (a) early experiences with gambling, (b) stages of change in gambling behaviour, (c) theories of winning at gambl
A cognitively-focused treatment (referred to as Cognitive Deconstructional Therapy, or CDT) focusing on helping clients understand how their erroneous cognitions about how their preferred form of gambling operate result in their gambling behaviour. It then provides corrective information, as well as helping clients better understand their motivation to gamble. CDT contains 8 modules: (a) early experiences with gambling, (b) stages of change in gambling behaviour, (c) theories of winning at gambling, (d) randomness and unpredictability; (e) return to player percentage and value; (f) temporality and futility of gambling; (g) non-financial motivations to gamble, and (h) review and relapse prevention. The treatment will include use of multi-media materials to visualise concepts of randomness, unpredictability and return-to-player percentage that have been developed at the University of Sydney Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic. These materials will comprise of short animations, mathematical simulations and spreadsheets, and will be presented via computer during face-to-face therapy sessions. Treatment will be delivered by intern psychologists and registered psychologists who have been trained in the treatment of problem gambling. Session will be delivered individually and face-to-face. Participants will attend a minimum of 8 one hour sessions, once a week, although treatment may be extended for individual participants if necessary. Treatment will occur at the University of Sydney's Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic, or at one of it's outreach locations at Parramatta and Campbelltown. Sessions will be recorded to monitor treatment adherence.
Sponsors
University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
a) Have self-presented to the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic for assistance in reducing or stopping their gambling b) Have gambled within the past month
Exclusion criteria
a) Have received a diagnosis of a bipolar, psychotic disorder or intellectual disability b) Be reporting current strong suicidal ideation c) Have been hospitalised for a psychiatric condition or suicidality within the past six months d) Have been mandated to attend therapy (such as by a court or by a probation and parole service) e) Have previously attended sessions at the clinic where they were administered the treatments under investigation, in whole or in part.
Outcome results
None listed