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Are Treatment Outcomes Determined by Type of Gambling? A UK Study

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Abstract

One of the main difficulties faced in treating gambling disorder is compliance with psychological treatment. Gambling takes many forms and can differ greatly in its features such as speed of play and skill requirements. The type of gambling a pathological gambler opts for may play a key role in treatment compliance. The aim of the present study was to determine whether within treatment seeking sample of gambling disorder clients, gambling activity has any correlation with their resultant treatment outcomes. The study incorporated 524 treatment-seeking individuals who are clients of the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London. All of the clients were assessed prior to treatment and fulfilled the Problem Gambling Severity Index criteria for problem gambling. Data concerning clients’ gambling behavior over the previous year was gathered using self-reports. Subsequently, the data was fitted to a multinomial logistic regression model, with the treatment outcome (i.e. pre-treatment dropouts, during treatment dropouts, and completed treatment) as the dependent variable and gambling behavior as the independent variable, whilst controlling for socio-demographic factors. The use of gaming machines was a significant predictor of dropping out pre-treatment (p < 0.05, RRR 1.616), whilst betting on sports events was a significant predictor of dropping out during treatment (p < 0.01, RRR 2.435). Treatment outcomes have been found to significantly differ based on participation in certain gambling activities. Further research into the salient features of these gambling activities may help to further explain pre-treatment and during treatment dropouts within this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Silvia Ronzitti

  2. Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy

    Silvia Ronzitti & Massimo Clerici

  3. Methodology and Statistics Laboratory, Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Manno, Switzerland

    Emiliano Soldini

  4. NPGC, National Problem Gambling Clinic, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

    Neil Smith, Andrew Bayston & Henrietta Bowden-Jones

  5. Department of Mental Health, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy

    Massimo Clerici

  6. Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Henrietta Bowden-Jones

Authors
  1. Silvia Ronzitti
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  2. Emiliano Soldini
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  3. Neil Smith
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  4. Andrew Bayston
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  5. Massimo Clerici
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  6. Henrietta Bowden-Jones
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Contributions

SR: study concept and design, interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript; ES: analysis and interpretation of data; NS: Acquisition of data; AB: interpretation of data, manuscript reviewing; MC: study supervision; HBJ: interpretation of data, study supervision, critical revision.

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Correspondence to Silvia Ronzitti.

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Ronzitti, S., Soldini, E., Smith, N. et al. Are Treatment Outcomes Determined by Type of Gambling? A UK Study. J Gambl Stud 34, 987–997 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9752-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-018-9752-4

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