title: Clinical features and treatment prognosis of pathological gamblers with and without recent gambling-related illegal behavior.
abstract: A substantial proportion of pathological gamblers engage in gambling-related illegal behavior. We examined differences in baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes in two groups: pathological gamblers who did and did not commit gambling-related illegal acts in the year before treatment. Participants were 231 pathological gamblers enrolled in a randomized study of treatment that included cognitive behavior therapy and referral to Gamblers Anonymous (GA). Participants reporting recent illegal behavior (n = 63) endorsed more severe lifetime and recent (past-year) gambling disorder symptoms and higher gambling-related debt than did gamblers who denied illegal behavior (n = 168). Those who reported illegal behavior also maintained a significantly higher severity of gambling disorder throughout treatment, although both groups experienced similar improvements in gambling symptoms over time. While pathological gamblers with or without gambling-related illegal behavior appeared to improve at a similar rate regardless of the treatment provided, more intensive treatment may be warranted for individuals with gambling-related illegal behavior, as they demonstrated greater gambling severity throughout treatment and follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA. dledgerw@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ledgerwood
authors.forename: Jeremiah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weinstock
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Morasco
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Petry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States