Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment of Pathological Gambling

Gambling Clinical Trial

Official title:

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Pathological Gambling

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00158314
• Other study ID #: R01MH060417-01
• Secondary ID: R01MH060417-01DA
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• First received: September 7, 2005
• Last updated: June 28, 2013
• Start date: March 1998
• Est. completion date: November 2003

Study information

• Verified date: June 2013
• Source: University of Connecticut Health Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three different treatment strategies in reducing gambling behaviors.

Description:

The number of pathological gamblers in the United States is steadily growing, leading to significant financial, psychological, and public health consequences. However, studies examining the effectiveness of treatment interventions for pathological gamblers are limited. This study will compare the effectiveness of three different treatment strategies, including referral to Gambler's Anonymous (GA), a self-help manual, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in reducing gambling behaviors and other problems related to pathological gambling.

This study will last 8 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions. Group 1 participants will be referred to GA and 8 weeks of CBT, which focuses on teaching skills to help reduce gambling urges and develop alternative behaviors to gambling. Group 2 participants will be referred to GA and given an 8-week self-help manual. Group 3 participants will be referred to GA alone. Questionnaires will be used to assess participants' gambling behavior and any personal, legal, or health problems they may be experiencing. The questionnaires will be completed at study entry, study completion, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up visits.

Participants will be asked to identify at least one person who knows about their gambling problem and will have regular contact with them during the study and for at least 1 year This person will be interviewed at the beginning of the study, and at Months 2, 6 and 12. Researchers will ask contact persons about participants' gambling behaviors, personal relationships, legal problems, use of health care and mental health services, and how the participant can be contacted if he or she moves.

For information on related studies, please follow these links:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00118391

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00618462

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 231
• Est. completion date: November 2003
• Est. primary completion date: November 2003
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of pathological gambling

• 3 or more gambling episodes within 60 days prior to study entry

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to read English at the 5th grade level

• Uncontrolled psychiatric condition

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:
• Referral to Gamblers Anonymous

• Cognitive behavioral therapy

• Cognitive behavioral self-help manual

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of Connecticut Health Center	Farmington	Connecticut

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Connecticut Health Center	National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Addiction Severity Index (ASI) gambling severity scores
Primary	time spent gambling
Primary	days of non-gambling
Secondary	Psychiatric symptoms
Secondary	psychosocial functioning

External Links

•   Click here for more information about the University of Connecticut Health Center Gambling Treatment and Research Center.