When Problem Gambling is the Primary Reason for Seeking Addiction Treatment

Abstract

An existing database was used to compare problem gamblers (N=138) who presented for treatment of their gambling problem to two other groups: alcohol and/or drug addiction clients who also had a gambling problem (N=280) or who did not have a gambling problem (N=2178). Clients with gambling as their primary problem were more likely to be female; employed or retired; more highly educated; married, divorced, or widowed; without legal problems; and older than the other groups. They also had different patterns of recent mental health diagnoses and problematic substance use. The other problem gambling clients were more similar to the substance only clients. These findings indicate that those who present for treatment of problem gambling are a distinct subset of addiction clients who have gambling problems, and emphasize the importance of considering the reasons for seeking treatment, not just the presence of a gambling problem.

Internet-Based Treatment of Pathological Gambling with a Three-Year Follow-Up

“…This trial grouped together participants regardless whether they, for example, had any comorbid psychiatric disorder. Furthermore, it could be argued that other predictor variables could be important, such as sex, age, whether or not a person is gambling primarily for sensations seeking or to escape from anxiety, and the reason for seeking help (Dowling, 2009; Grant, Kim, Hollander, & Potenza, 2008; Jamieson, Mazmanian, Penney, Black, & Nguyen, 2011). …”