Evidence-based treatments for problem gambling.

Abstract

Problem gambling treatments continue to develop; however, the literature in this area is not as vast as that for other addictions, most notably substance and alcohol misuse treatments. As cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been refined, and so called third-wave therapies have been developed to focus upon psychopathology over the last few decades, we have seen opportunities to apply some of these "newer" techniques to problem gamblers in our clinic. We believe that such a process has merit due to the success many of these approaches have reported with disorders that commonly appear co-morbidly with problem gambling. Over this time, we have observed some healthy debate among clinicians about the contribution that some of the newer therapies bring to treatment beyond CBT. As is common in other treatment areas, CBT maintains the greatest levels of empirical support for problem gambling treatment and has provided a valid framework to assist many problem gamblers recover. In writing this book, we have attempted to provide the evidence base for the major contemporary treatments that can be applied to problem gambling. Many approaches described within have only an introductory level of research supporting them for this population, while others despite an extensive literature are still open development. Our aims in compiling the chapters that make up this book were to help clinicians find their "therapeutic voice," promote further clinical research for problem gamblers to develop the literature, and most importantly to try and contribute to the overall treatment effectiveness of this often debilitating disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)