Changing Spousal Roles and Their Effect on Recovery in Gamblers Anonymous: GamAnon, Social Support, Wives and Husbands

Abstract

This paper examines changing spousal roles and their effects upon recovery in Gamblers Anonymous (GA). It is based upon a qualitative study designed to gage uniformity as well as variations in approaches to recovery in GA. Interviews were conducted with 39 GA members (26 men, 13 women; mean age 56.5 years). Though the study was based in the Toronto area, only 13 interviews involved participants from that region. Phone interviews were conducted with GA members from various regions of both Canada and the US. GamAnon, GA’s sister fellowship, has been designed for anyone affected seriously by someone’s gambling problem. In practice, GamAnon comprises mostly women––spouses of male GA members––who traditionally have taken a keen interest in the ways in which their husbands achieve and maintain abstinence from gambling. Changing spousal roles have led to fewer women joining GamAnon, as many opt instead to part with troubled spouses. As well, more women are attending GA than in the past, typically with husbands who are disinclined to join GamAnon. All of this has drastically altered how GA members pursue recovery. These changes and their implications are discussed.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Study Questions:

• 1. What are the common features that best describe GA’s approach to recovery? The study looked closely at the ways in which members work the Twelve Steps, and other aspects of the GA program in an effort, first of all, to identify features that seem to be inherent to practically all successful recovery in GA. In this respect it built upon the results of our previous study, which identified some general features of GA’s approach to recovery without examining them in detail.

• 2. Which of these features are uniformly valued by members? Which are sources of controversy? For example, while patience is a virtue often emphasized in GA, some members feel that this emphasis can encourage procrastination and sabotage recovery by delaying important steps. Not getting to the Twelve Steps, or Pressure Relief, soon enough have presented themselves as areas of concern. In addition to identifying the core features of GA that most members see as essential, our study sheds light on some of these contested aspects of the program.

• 3. How can we characterize the most important approaches that members take to “working” the GA program and the Twelve Steps in particular? How do these approaches differ?

• 4. To what extent do different ways of engaging with GA reflect prior differences in client characteristics? This aspect of the study examines the idea that differences in background may explain some differences in the ways members “work” the Twelve Steps and the overall GA program. While gender would be an obvious area for scrutiny, we also considered the role of such factors as age, severity of gambling problem, types of gambling pursued, comorbidity, debt-load, and outside support, both informal and professional.

• 5. What relationship, if any, can be found between client characteristics and modes of engagement with GA on the one hand, and recovery outcomes on the other? This was the most ambitious and inherently difficult question posed by our study, and here we have no illusions about finding definitive answers. The aim at this stage is rather a heuristic one: to determine which hypotheses are most plausibly supported by our data. We must emphasize that this study makes no claim to assess “outcome” in the strong sense of the word. We are, however, interested in the relationship between client characteristics, ways of “working the program”, and self-reports regarding success in abstinence and current life-satisfaction.

Appendix 2

Interview Protocol

Interview #:

Interviewee #:

Demographic Information

Please note that you have the right not to answer any or all of these questions if you so choose.

• 1. Age _________

• 2. Gender_________

• 3. Occupation____________

• 4. Ethnicity_______________

• 5. Do you practice any religion? If so, which one?______________

• 6. Have you ever belonged to any other 12 Step Fellowships? If so, which one’s?

• 7. Education __________

• 8. Marital Status___________

• 9. Number of children__________

• 10. Current Income__________

• 11. City (town) of residence ___________

Interview Protocol

Note that severity of gambling problem and types of games pursued were covered by the CPGI (Canadian Problem Gambling Index) which was given to all participants.

Part One:

• 1. Why don’t we start with an introduction? Could you please tell me a little bit about yourself?

• 2. When did you first enter GA?

• 3. How long have you been abstinent?

• 4. When you first entered GA and took the 20 Questions, how many “yes” answers did you give?

• 5. Have you ever had any substance addictions?

• 6. What kind of professional therapy did you receive either before or during GA?

• 7. When you first entered GA, what was your financial situation?

• 8. What kind of support for your recovery did you receive from family and friends?

• 9. What kind of relationship did you have with family members when you first entered GA?

• 10. Would you mind telling me your views on religion, or spirituality?

• 11. In your view, what is compulsive gambling? (Do you see it as a disease?)

• 12. Has viewing compulsive gambling as a disease helped your recovery?

• 13. What are compulsive gamblers like, in your view? What is a gambler?

• 14. What does a gambler need to do to recover?

• 15. Do you have any thoughts on what you have in common with other compulsive gamblers?

• 16. Any thoughts on how you may differ from other compulsive gamblers?

• 17. Do you have any thoughts on why some people leave GA?

• 18. In your view, has GA changed significantly over the years? (In what way?)

• 19. How do you feel about war stories? (Has their importance diminished or increased over the years?)

• 20. How has GamAnon been doing in your view?

• 21. The Combo Book talks about the “dreamworld” of the compulsive gambler. Does this apply to all compulsive gamblers?

Part Two:

• 1. When you came into GA, what was the very first thing you did for your recovery? What did you do after that?

• 2. What was your main motivation for recovery?

• 3. Please tell me what recovery means to you. (After, ask about “normalcy” or sanity).

• 4. How many meetings do you go to in an average week?

• 5. Has this changed over time?

• 6. What aspects of GA do you find most helpful? Which are least helpful?

• 7. What are the most important things you do for your recovery?

• 8. What aspects of your recovery are dealt with outside of GA, and in what way?

• 9. Do you go to many GA events, such as conferences?

• 10. Do you associate with many GA members in your private life?

• 11. (if so) please describe the activities.

• 12. Is GA your main social support for recovery?

• 13. (if not) What is your main social support?

• 14. What kind of service work are you involved in?*

• 15. What experience have you had with pressure relief? (has GA’s approach to pressure relief changed over the years?)

• 16. Could you describe the role that phone contact with other GA members plays in your recovery?

• 17. Do you use a phone list?

• 18. Do you call more often than you are called?

• 19. Do you have a sponsor?

• 20. Could you describe your relationship?

• 21. How many sponsees do you have?

• 22. How do you help your sponsees, how does the relationship work?

• 23. What role has the Serenity Prayer played in your recovery?

• 24. What has Page 17 meant to your recovery?

• 25. And can you tell me how you went about working the steps?

Part Three

• 1. What is your financial situation like today?

• 2. Do you miss gambling?

• 3. How successful have you been in maintaining abstinence?

• 4. How content are you with your life as it is?

• 5. How well do you like your work?

• 6. What kind of relationship do you have with family members today?

* “Service” refers to any activity on behalf of GA, from helping to make coffee at meetings to helping arrange conferences and working on the GA phone-line.