Clinical trial NCT00183599: Gambling and Brief Interventions
Official title: Effect of Type and Duration of Therapy on Treatment for Gambling
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Gambling
Keywords: Brief interventions
Motivational Enhancement Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Lead sponsor: UConn Health
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Donaghue Medical Research Foundation
First posted: 2005-09-16
Enrollment: 500
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Addiction Severity Index (ASI)-gambling severity scores
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
measure: Amount spent gambling
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
measure: Days gambled
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
measure: Proportion meeting problem gambling criteria
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
measure: Proportion abstinent
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Psychosocial functioning
timeFrame: measured at baseline, Week 6, and 9 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Bridgeport
country: United States
facility: LMG
state: Connecticut
city: Farmington
country: United States
facility: University of Connecticut Health Center
state: Connecticut
city: Hartford
country: United States
facility: CSAC
state: Connecticut
city: New Haven
country: United States
facility: Southern CT State University
state: Connecticut
city: Stamford
country: United States
facility: LMG
state: Connecticut
city: Storrs
country: United States
facility: University of Connecticut
state: Connecticut
Study officials:
affiliation: UConn Health
name: Nancy M Petry, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: