Psychological treatment of slot-machine pathological gambling: new perspectives.
In this paper the most relevant findings of our research team on pathological gambling in the last decade are presented. There is no conclusive empirical evidence of a specific profile of the pathological gamblers. The choice treatment appears to be stimulus control and in vivo exposure with response prevention, followed by a cognitive-behavioral intervention in relapse prevention. Predictive variables for the therapeutic failure were the dissatisfaction with the treatment, the alcohol abuse and the neuroticism as a personality variable. Unanswered questions for future research in this field are commented upon.
Echeburúa
Enrique
E
Facultad de Psicologia, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Avda. de Tolosa, 70, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain. ptpodece@ss.ehu.es
Fernández-Montalvo
Javier
J
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012649:Self Concept; D016896:Treatment Outcome