Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Alcohol Use and Prior Substance Abuse Treatment in Relation to Gambling Problem Severity and Gambling Treatment Outcome

  • Published:
Journal of Gambling Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Recent research has made it clear that problematic gambling is often accompanied by problematic alcohol use. Unfortunately, little is known about the nature of this association, especially as it relates to gambling treatment outcome. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of current alcohol use level and previous substance abuse treatment on the symptoms of a large cohort of pathological gamblers as well as on their response to treatment for pathological gambling. The sample included 464 men and 301 women recruited at six gambling treatment programs in Minnesota. Gambling treatment patients were assessed on a number of gambling problem severity and related clinical variables using the Gambling Treatment Outcome Monitoring System (GAMTOMS). Patients with frequent alcohol use had greater gambling involvement at baseline than infrequent alcohol users. Patients with a previous history of substance abuse treatment had more severe psychosocial problems, ostensibly resulting from their gambling behavior, than patients without past substance abuse treatment. A MANOVA with repeated measures showed that neither pretreatment alcohol use, nor past substance abuse treatment exerted significant effects on gambling treatment outcome. While the level of pretreatment alcohol use and a history of substance abuse treatment are markers for greater gambling problem severity, treatment outcome for pathological gambling was not adversely impacted by these variables.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • E. Baron M. G. Dickerson (1999) ArticleTitleAlcohol consumption and self-control of gambling behaviour Journal of Gambling Studies 15 3–15 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1023057027992 Occurrence Handle12766451

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. C. Bland S. C. Newman H. Orn G. Stebelesky (1993) ArticleTitleEpidemiology of pathological gambling in Edmonton Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 38 108–112

    Google Scholar 

  • F. C. Breslin M. B. Sobell H. Cappell S. Vakili (1999) ArticleTitleThe effects of alcohol, gender, and sensation seeking on the gambling choices of social drinkers Psychology of Addictive Behaviors 13 243–252 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0893-164X.13.3.243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. M. Cunningham-Williams L. B. Cottler W. M. Compton E. L. Spitznagel (1998) ArticleTitleTaking chances: Problem gamblers and mental health disorders–results from the St. Louis Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Study American Journal of Public Health 88 1093–1096 Occurrence Handle9663161

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H. S. G. Cutter L. R. Green T. C. Harford (1973) ArticleTitleLevels of risk taken by extraverted and introverted alcoholics as a function of drinking whiskey British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 12 83–89

    Google Scholar 

  • A. N. Daghestani E. Elenz J. W. Crayton (1996) ArticleTitlePathological gambling in hospitalized substance abusing veterans Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 57 360–363 Occurrence Handle8752019

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M. Ellery S. H. Stewart P. Loba (2005) ArticleTitleAlcohol’s effects on video lotto terminal (VLT) play among probable pathological and nonpathological gamblers Journal of Gambling Studies 21 299–324

    Google Scholar 

  • W. Feigelman L. S. Wallisch H. R. Lesieur (1998) ArticleTitleProblem gamblers, problem substance users, and dual-problem individuals: An epidemiological study American Journal of Public Health 88 467–470 Occurrence Handle9518986

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein, A. R. (1970). The pre-therapeutic classification of comorbidity in chronic disease. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 23, 455–468

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Giacopassi B. G. Stitt M. Vandiver (1998) ArticleTitleAn analysis of the relationship of alcohol to casino gambling among college students Journal of Gambling Studies 14 135–149 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1023094725055 Occurrence Handle12766439

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • P. W. Haberman (1969) ArticleTitleDrinking and other self-indulgences: Complements or counter-attractions? International Journal of Addiction 4 157–167

    Google Scholar 

  • M. G. Kushner K. Abrams C. Borchardt (2000) ArticleTitleThe relationship between anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders: A review of major perspectives and findings Clinical Psychology Review 20 149–171 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0272-7358(99)00027-6 Occurrence Handle10721495

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • A. Kyngdon M. Dickerson (1999) ArticleTitleAn experimental study of the effect of prior alcohol consumption on a simulated gambling activity Addiction 94 697–707 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1360-0443.1999.9456977.x Occurrence Handle10563034

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M. Lejoyeux N. Feuche S. Loi J. Solomon J. Ades (1999) ArticleTitleStudy of impulse-control disorders among alcohol-dependent patients Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 60 302–305

    Google Scholar 

  • H. R. Lesieur S.B Blume (1987) ArticleTitleThe South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS): A new instrument for the identification of pathological gambling American Journal of Psychiatry 144 1184–1188 Occurrence Handle3631315

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H. R. Lesieur S.B Blume R. Zappa (1986) ArticleTitleAlcoholism, drug abuse and gambling Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research 10 33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • S. E. Meier T. A. Brigham D. A. Ward F. Myers (1996) ArticleTitleEffects of blood alcohol concentrations on negative punishment: Implications for decision making Journal of Studies on Alcohol 57 85–96 Occurrence Handle8747506

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameNational Opinion Research Center, (1999) Gambling impact and behavior study: Report to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois

    Google Scholar 

  • M. N. Potenza M. A. Steinberg S. D. McLaughlin R. Wu B. J. Roundsaville S. S. Oȁ9Malley (2001) ArticleTitleGender-related differences in the characteristics of problem gamblers using a gambling helpline American Journal of Psychiatry 158 1500–1505 Occurrence Handle10.1176/appi.ajp.158.9.1500 Occurrence Handle11532738

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D. A. Regier M. E. Farmer D. S. Rae B. Z. Locke S. J. Keith L. J. Judd F. K. Goodwin (1990) ArticleTitleComormidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse: Results from the Epidemiologic catchment area (ECA) Study Journal of the American Medical Association 264 2511–2518 Occurrence Handle10.1001/jama.264.19.2511 Occurrence Handle2232018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • H. J. Shaffer M. N. Hall J. Vander Bilt (1999) ArticleTitleEstimating the prevalence of disordered gambling behavior in the United States and Canada: A research synthesis American Journal of Public Health 89 1376

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Sjoberg (1969) ArticleTitleAlcohol and gambling Psychopharmacologia 14 284–298 Occurrence Handle5350629

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. G. Smart J. Ferris (1996) ArticleTitleAlcohol, drugs and gambling in the Ontario adult population Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 41 36–45

    Google Scholar 

  • S. H. Stewart L. A. McWilliams J. R. Blackburn R. A. Klein (2002) ArticleTitleLaboratory-based investigation of the influence of video lottery terminal (VLT) play on mood and alcohol consumption among regular VLT players Addictive Behaviors 27 819–835 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0306-4603(01)00213-1 Occurrence Handle12201386

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • R. Stinchfield (2001) ArticleTitleReliability, validity, and classification accuracy of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) Addictive Behaviors 27 1–19 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0306-4603(00)00158-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. Stinchfield (1999) Gambling Treatment Outcome Monitoring System K. M. Coughlin (Eds) Behavioural Outcomes and Guidelines Source book Faulkner & Gray New York 533–535

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Stinchfield K. C. Winters (2001) ArticleTitleOutcome of Minnesota’s gambling treatment programs Journal of Gambling Studies 17 217–245 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1012268322509 Occurrence Handle11761605

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T. Toneatto W. Skinner R. Dragonetti (2002) ArticleTitlePatterns of substance use in treatment-seeking problem gamblers: Impact on treatment outcomes Journal of Clinical Psychology 58 853–859 Occurrence Handle10.1002/jclp.2011 Occurrence Handle12205725

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • J. F G. Barnes W. Wieczorek M. C. Tidwell J. Parker (2001) ArticleTitleAlcohol and gambling pathology among U.S. adults: Prevalence, demographic patterns, and comorbidity Journal of Studies on Alcohol 62 706–712 Occurrence Handle11702810

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • K. C. Winters M. G. Kushner (2003) ArticleTitleTreatment issues pertaining to pathological gamblers with a comorbid disorder Journal of Gambling Studies 19 261–278 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1024203403982 Occurrence Handle12815269

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameWorld Health Organization (WHO), (1993) Tenth Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) WHO Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, USA

    Randy Stinchfield, Matt G. Kushner & Ken C. Winters

  2. Randy Stinchfield, 689 Fairmount Avenue, 55105, Saint Paul, MN

    Randy Stinchfield

Authors
  1. Randy Stinchfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matt G. Kushner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ken C. Winters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Randy Stinchfield.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stinchfield, R., Kushner, M.G. & Winters, K.C. Alcohol Use and Prior Substance Abuse Treatment in Relation to Gambling Problem Severity and Gambling Treatment Outcome. J Gambl Stud 21, 273–297 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-005-3100-1

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-005-3100-1

Key words

Search

Navigation