Brief Therapies for Problem Gambling Substance Abusers

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Gambling
• Interventions: Behavioral: four 50-minute individual therapy sessions of MET & CBT; Behavioral: 10 minutes of psycho-education; Behavioral: 10 minutes of brief advice

• Registration Number: NCT00685048
• Lead Sponsor: UConn Health

Brief Summary

This project evaluates the efficacy of brief interventions for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders who also have gambling problems. In total, 220 problem gambling substance abusers will be randomized to one of three conditions: (a) a control condition consisting of 10 minutes of psychoeducation about gambling, (b) 10 minutes of brief advice about problem gambling and how to reduce it, or (c) four session of motivational and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gambling, substance use and psychosocial problems will be assessed using standardized instruments at pre-treatment, month 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24-month follow-up evaluations.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2007-07
• Study First Submitted: 2008-05-23
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-05-23
• Study First Posted: 2008-05-28
• Primary Completion: 2014-01
• Study Completion: 2014-01
• Status Verified: 2019-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-04-05
• Last Update Posted: 2019-04-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 220

Inclusion Criteria

• age > 18 years
• current (past-year) DSM-IV criteria for alcohol, cocaine, opioid or marijuana abuse or dependence
• score >3 on the past-two month SOGS
• report an average of >2 gambling days per month for the past 2 months; (e) spent an average of >$50/month on gambling in the past 2 months
• English speaking
• sign informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• have uncontrolled major psychiatric disorders other than substance use that require inpatient hospitalization (e.g., active bipolar disorder, psychosis, suicidality)
• desire specific gambling treatment or are currently receiving treatment for gambling
• have severe cognitive impairment
• read below 5th grade level
• plan to relocate >100 miles or are likely to be incarcerated

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
3	four 50-minute individual therapy sessions of MET & CBT	Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)/Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
1	10 minutes of psycho-education	psychoeducation
2	10 minutes of brief advice	brief advice

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
dollars and days gambled per month	baseline and each follow-up

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Connecticut Health Center; 🇺🇸 Farmington, Connecticut, United States