Treatment of Pathological Gambling Using a Guided Self-Change Approach

Pathological gamblers are prone to leave treatment early and often display low levels of motivation within treatment. Use of brief treatments that emphasize reducing client ambivalence through motivational techniques may help increase the likelihood of treatment compliance. This case study describes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inClinical case studies Vol. 6; no. 5; pp. 394 - 411
Main Authors Lipinski, Damon, Whelan, James P., Meyers, Andrew W.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications 01.10.2007
Subjects
problem gambling
guided self-change
cognitive—behavioral
brief treatment
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Summary:Pathological gamblers are prone to leave treatment early and often display low levels of motivation within treatment. Use of brief treatments that emphasize reducing client ambivalence through motivational techniques may help increase the likelihood of treatment compliance. This case study describes a 5-session treatment of pathological gambling using a brief and motivationally focused cognitive—behavioral guided self-change (GSC) approach. The 36-year-old gambler in this study was treated for pathological gambling. At 1-month and 6-month follow-ups, the individual evidenced significant improvement in symptoms of pathological gambling. The client also showed considerable reductions in gambling behaviors including number of gambling episodes, length of time spent gambling, and amount of money wagered. These results support use of the GSC approach in treating pathological gamblers.
ISSN:1534-6501
1552-3802
DOI:10.1177/1534650106293543