Abstract
The literature relating marital/familial factors to pathological gambling is reviewed. It is pointed out that numerous authors who focus on individual factors note the existence of marital problems in their patients. Additionally, improvements in the marriage often follow successful treatment for pathological gambling. Marital therapy has proven to be an effective intervention for this problem in many cases.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arcuri, A.F., Lester, D., & Smith, F.O. (1985). Shaping adolescent gambling behavior,Adolescence, 20 935–938.
Bergler, E. (1958).The psychology of gambling. New York: International University Press.
Boyd, W.H., & Bolen, D.W. (1970). The compulsive gambler and spouse in group psychotherapy.International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 20 77–90.
Cotler, S.B. (1971). The use of different behavioral techniques in treating a case of compulsive gambling.Behavior Therapy, 2 579–584.
Dickerson, M.G., & Weeks, D. (1979). Controlled gambling as a therapeutic technique for compulsive gamblers.Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 10 139–141.
Fairbairn, W.R.D. (1952).An object relations theory of personality. New York: Basic Books.
Giovacchinni, P.L. (1965). Treatment of marital disharmonies: The classical approach. In B.L. Green (Ed.),The psychotherapies of marital disharmony. New York: Free Press.
Goorney, A.B. (1968). Treatment of a compulsive horse race gambler by aversion therapy.British Journal of Psychiatry, 114 329–333.
Greenberg, D., & Rankin, H. (1982). Compulsive gamblers in treatment.British Journal of Psychiatry, 140 364–366.
Heineman, M. (1987). A comparison: The treatment of wives of alcoholics with the treatment of wives of pathological gamblers.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 3 27–40.
Jacobs, D.F. (1986). A general theory of addictions.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 2 15–31.
Lesieur, H.R., Blume, S.F., & Zoppa, R.M. (1986). Alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 10 33–38.
Lesieur, H.R., & Klein, R. (1987). Pathological gambling among high school students.Addictive Behaviors, 12 129–135.
Lorenz, V.C. (1987). Family dynamics of pathological gamblers. In T. Galski (Ed.).The handbook of pathological gambling. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Lorenz, V.C., & Shuttlesworth, D.E. (1983). The impact of pathological gambling on the spouse of the gambler.Journal of Community Psychology, 11 67–76.
Lorenz, V.C., & Yaffee, R.A. (1986). Pathological gambling: Psychosomatic, emotional, and marital difficulties as reported by the gambler.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 2 40–49.
Politzer, R.M., Morrow, J.S., & Leavey, S.B. (1985). Report on the cost-benefit/effectiveness of treatment at the Johns Hopkins Center for Pathological Gambling.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 1 131–142.
Rankin, H. (1982). Control rather than abstinence as a goal in the treatment of excessive gambling.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 20 185–187.
Rosenthal, R.J. (1987). The psychodynamics of pathological gambling: A review of the literature. In T. Galski (Ed.).The handbook of pathological gambling Springfield, IL: Thomas.
Schutz, W. (1958).FIRO: A three-dimensional theory of interpersonal behavior. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Taber, J.I., & Chaplin, M.P. (1988). Group psychotherapy with pathological gamblers.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 2 183–196.
Tepperman, J.H. (1985). The effectiveness of short-term group therapy upon the pathological gambler and wife.Journal of Gambling Behavior, 1 119–130.
Victor, R.G., & Krug, C.M. (1967). Paradoxical intention in the treatment of compulsive gambling.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 21 808–814.
Walker, G. (1985). The brief therapy of a compulsive gambler.Journal of Family Therapy, 7 1–8.
Wildman, R.W. II (in press). Gambling. In L. L'Abate, J. Farrar & D. Serritella (Eds.)The addictions: Differential treatment.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The material in this article was abstracted from the author's chapter on pathological gambling which was prepared forThe Addictions: Differential Treatments, edited by L'Abate, Farrar, and Serritella (in preparation).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wildman, R.W. Pathological gambling: Marital-familial factors, implications, and treatments. J Gambling Stud 5, 293–301 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01672430
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01672430