title: Cognitive treatment of pathological gamblers.
abstract: This study evaluates the efficacy of a cognitive treatment for pathological gambling. Five pathological gamblers were treated in a multiple baseline across subjects design. Cognitive correction targeted the erroneous perceptions towards the notion of randomness. Four subjects reported a clinically significant decrease in the urge to gamble, an increase in their perception of control, and no longer met the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling. Therapeutic gains were maintained at the 6 month follow-up. Results suggest that cognitive therapy targeting the misconception of the notion of randomness is a promising treatment for pathological gambling, a refractory disorder to most therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Ecole de Psychologie, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Que., Canada. robert.ladouceur@psy.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ladouceur
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sylvain
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Letarte
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giroux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacques
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales