Development and Validation of a Mindfulness Intervention for Problem Gambling: An Exploratory Study

Gambling Clinical Trial

Official title:

Development and Validation of a Mindfulness Intervention for Problem Gambling: An Exploratory Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00495261
• Other study ID #: 311/2006
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: June 29, 2007
• Last updated: January 14, 2008
• Start date: February 2007
• Est. completion date: November 2007

Study information

• Verified date: January 2008
• Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Canada: Health Canada
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

In recent years, mindfulness meditation has been shown to be a promising approach for alleviating emotional distress associated with chronic medical and psychiatric conditions and in reducing relapse following treatment for depression. The applicability of mindfulness meditation to problem gambling has not yet been explored. Mindfulness meditation may be particularly suitable for this clinical disorder as it stresses a process-oriented, metacognitive, approach to cognitive pathology in contrast to a content-focused approach, characteristic of traditional approaches to treating cognitive psychopathology. Gambling-related cognitive psychopathology is a well-known characteristic of problem gambling and frequently the target of therapy. Although there is growing evidence that cognitive-behavioral treatments are effective for gambling, outcomes may be improved by teaching gamblers additional ways to cope with cognitive distortions that emphasize metacognitive processes.

Description:

Hypothesis The mindfulness-enhanced CBT (MCBT) will report significant reductions in the frequency of gambling, gambling urges, gambling cognitions and gambling-related expenditures compared to the relaxation-enhanced CBT (RCBT) at end-of-treatment and at the 3-month follow-up.

Significance

1. feasibility of mindfulness interventions for problem gamblers

2. tentative data for the effectiveness of the intervention

3. an additional clinical tool to treat problem gamblers

4. basis of a larger, grant-funded study obtain more definitive data

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 24
• Est. completion date: November 2007
• Est. primary completion date: November 2007
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• current diagnosis of pathological gambling

• willingness to practice mindfulness or relaxation

Exclusion Criteria:

• substance abuse/dependence (except nicotine)

• concurrent attendance at any treatment in which their gambling is addressed (including Gamblers Anonymous)

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Gambling

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Mindfulness-enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy (MCBT)
a variation of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• relaxation-enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy (RCBT)
a variation of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Centre for Addiction and Mental Health	Toronto	Ontario

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Gambling urges		Baseline, post and 3 month fup	No
Primary	Gambling-related expenditures		Baseline, post and 3 month fup	No
Secondary	treatment adherence		Baseline, post and 3 month fup	No
Secondary	gambling cognitions		Baseline, post and 3 month fup	No