TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical features and treatment prognosis of pathological gamblers with and without recent gambling-related illegal behavior
AU - Ledgerwood, David M.
AU - Weinstock, Jeremiah
AU - Morasco, Benjamin J.
AU - Petry, Nancy M.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - A substantial proportion of pathological gamblers engage in gambling-related illegal behavior. We examined differences in baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes in two groups: pathological gamblers who did and did not commit gambling-related illegal acts in the year before treatment. Participants were 231 pathological gamblers enrolled in a randomized study of treatment that included cognitive behavior therapy and referral to Gamblers Anonymous (GA). Participants reporting recent illegal behavior (n = 63) endorsed more severe lifetime and recent (past-year) gambling disorder symptoms and higher gambling-related debt than did gamblers who denied illegal behavior (n = 168). Those who reported illegal behavior also maintained a significantly higher severity of gambling disorder throughout treatment, although both groups experienced similar improvements in gambling symptoms over time. While pathological gamblers with or without gambling-related illegal behavior appeared to improve at a similar rate regardless of the treatment provided, more intensive treatment may be warranted for individuals with gambling-related illegal behavior, as they demonstrated greater gambling severity throughout treatment and follow-up.
AB - A substantial proportion of pathological gamblers engage in gambling-related illegal behavior. We examined differences in baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes in two groups: pathological gamblers who did and did not commit gambling-related illegal acts in the year before treatment. Participants were 231 pathological gamblers enrolled in a randomized study of treatment that included cognitive behavior therapy and referral to Gamblers Anonymous (GA). Participants reporting recent illegal behavior (n = 63) endorsed more severe lifetime and recent (past-year) gambling disorder symptoms and higher gambling-related debt than did gamblers who denied illegal behavior (n = 168). Those who reported illegal behavior also maintained a significantly higher severity of gambling disorder throughout treatment, although both groups experienced similar improvements in gambling symptoms over time. While pathological gamblers with or without gambling-related illegal behavior appeared to improve at a similar rate regardless of the treatment provided, more intensive treatment may be warranted for individuals with gambling-related illegal behavior, as they demonstrated greater gambling severity throughout treatment and follow-up.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35348897828&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=35348897828&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 17872548
AN - SCOPUS:35348897828
SN - 1093-6793
VL - 35
SP - 294
EP - 301
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
IS - 3
ER -