Contingency Management + Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Gambling Addiction

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byDarren R Christensen, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of Lethbridge

Stay on Your Current Meds

No Placebo Group

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?The purpose of this project is to pilot contingency management as an adjunct treatment to counselling as usual using internet delivered video-conferencing applications for remote disordered gamblers. This project further investigates the impact of adding contingency management to counselling to improve counselling attendance and retention and uses internet-delivered approaches to assist rural and remote disordered gamblers gain access to counselling treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking individuals living in rural or remote areas who have been diagnosed with a gambling disorder and have gambled within the last month. They must be able to give written consent. People with unmanaged psychiatric or neurological conditions, other than gambling disorder, cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

Capable of providing written consent

Live in a rural or remote location

Speak English

+2 more

Exclusion Criteria

Medically unmanaged psychiatric or neurological disorder(s) except for disordered gambling

Participant Groups

The study tests if adding Contingency Management to regular Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps improve attendance and retention in counselling sessions for disordered gamblers using video-conferencing tools designed for those living far from treatment centers.

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Contingency ManagementExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

This is a treatment where participants earn points for treatment attendance and for providing evidence of gambling abstinence. These points are added to study accounts that can be redeemed for goods and services available at a variety of on-line businesses (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, etc.). Submission of evidence of gambling behaviour or non-attendance at an on-line counselling session re-sets subsequent points to the starting level. The CM procedure is implemented as part of the CBT counselling session.

Group II: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyActive Control1 Intervention

CBT is currently considered "best practice" for the treatment of problem gambling, as noted in the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) endorsed Clinical Guidelines for problem and pathological gambling treatment (Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre, 2011). CBT is typically a semi-structured approach for delivering cognitive behavioural therapy addressing the participant's experiences, thoughts, and emotions relating to their gambling and substance use. Techniques include psychoeducation, behavioural interventions, and cognitive strategies. Participants are expected to attend on-line counselling sessions three times a week for approximately 12 weeks. All participants will receive individual counselling from an experienced counsellor/therapist.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is already approved in United States, Canada, European Union for the following indications:

🇺🇸 Approved in United States as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for: