[Effects of a family education program for families of pathological gamblers].
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to examine the intervention effects on the family of a family education program for pathological gamblers based on Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT).


METHODS
A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants were 44 families of pathological gamblers from G center in Gyung-gi Province and 5 Gam-Anon groups in Seoul City and Gyung-gi Province. The experimental group (n=22) attended the 6 weekly 2 hour-long CRAFT family education program. The control group (n=22) attended the 12-step program of Gam-Anon. Data were collected from November, 2011 to May, 2012.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed significant decrease in depression (p=.001) and state anger (p=.039). There were no significant differences between groups in the level of interpersonal communication, trait anger, the mode of anger expression and self-esteem.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this study suggest that the CRAFT family education program is effective in decreasing depression and state anger in families of pathological gamblers.
College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. sooy@catholic.ac.kr.
Jungah
J
Hong
Soo
S
Yang
D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D003863:Depression; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept
Anger; Depression; Family; Family education; Pathological gambling