title: A comparison of relapsed and non-relapsed abstinent pathological gamblers following behavioural treatment.
abstract: Eighteen pathological gamblers reporting abstinence at a 2-9-year follow-up period were classified into two samples; those reporting complete abstinence, or those abstinent with intermittent relapse episodes. Results indicated that both samples improved significantly on post-treatment psychological and demographic measures, and did not differ from each other. It was concluded that a subgroup of gamblers may experience intermittent brief relapses that are not invariably associated with a continued return to addictive gambling habits. Complete abstinence as a criterion for successful treatment outcome may be too stringent in that it fails to acknowledge the possibility of continued abstinence following brief episodes of relapse.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Unit, Liverpool Hospital, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blaszczynski
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McConaghy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frankova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence