title: Preliminary evaluation of a coping skills training program for those with a pathological-gambling partner.
abstract: Individuals living with a pathological-gambling partner can experience significant psychological distress. In this report, we conduct a preliminary evaluation of a coping skills training program (CST) for this population. Twenty-three individuals experiencing stress from living with a pathological-gambling partner who was not in treatment were randomly assigned to either CST or a delayed treatment control (DTC) condition. CST consisted of ten, weekly individual sessions to teach more effective coping skills. At the end of the treatment/delay period, CST participants, relative to those in DTC, showed a large improvement in coping skillfulness that appeared to mediate a corresponding large significant reduction in depression and anxiety relative to DTC. Partner gambling during the period decreased in both conditions but did not differ between them, nor did partner help-seeking differ. CST shows promise as an effective treatment for individuals distressed as a result of a partner's gambling problem. Larger, longer-term evaluations of the intervention, and comparison with alternate treatment models are needed.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA. rychtari@ria.buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Rychtarik
authors.forename: Neil B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: McGillicuddy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D018454:Spouses / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome