Node-link-mapping-enhanced group treatment for pathological gambling

• Published in: Addictive behaviors 2004, Vol.29 (1), p.73-87
• Main Authors: Melville, Cam L, Davis, Carolyn S, Matzenbacher, Dena L, Clayborne, Jeremy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Anxiety; Behavior, Addictive - rehabilitation; Behavior, Addictive - therapy; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Depression; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Effectiveness studies; Female; Gambling; Gambling - psychology; Group Processes; Group therapy; Humans; Male; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; Pathological gambling; Treatment; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4603(03)00091-1

Two experiments evaluated a group treatment for pathological gambling that used node-link mapping techniques to enhance treatment effectiveness. In Experiment 1, 13 (8 female) pathological gamblers were randomly assigned to either a mapping group ( n=4), a nonmapping group ( n=4), or a wait-list control group ( n=5). The treatments were conducted by Master's level counselors during 90-min sessions conducted twice per week for 8 weeks. Participants were assessed pre- and post-8 weeks and then 6 months later on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th ed. (DSM-IV) pathological gambling criteria, three self-ratings of control of gambling, gambling expenditure, and gambling bout duration. Experiment 2 replicated the mapping ( n=9; 8 female) and wait-list ( n=10; 8 female) conditions of Experiment 1 and expanded the dependent measures to include assessment of changes in cooccurring depression and anxiety. The node-link-mapping-enhanced group treatment produced improvements in more of the dependent measures of pathological gambling than treatment without maps (Experiment 1) or an equivalent-length waiting period (Experiments 1 and 2). It also produced larger decreases in cooccurring depression and anxiety than an equivalent-length waiting period (Experiment 2). The results are consistent with previous treatment research with substance abusers.