title: An 8-week stress management program in pathological gamblers: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Stress plays a major role at the onset and relapse of pathological gambling (PG), but at the same time it can also be the aftermath of gambling behavior, thus revealing a reciprocal relationship. Although the role of stress has been well-documented, there is a paucity of studies investigating the effect of an adjunctive stress management program on PG. In this 8-week parallel randomized waitlist controlled trial pathological gamblers, already in the gamblers anonymous (GA) group, were assigned randomly in two groups, with the intervention group (n = 22) receiving an additional stress management program (consisting of education on diet and exercise, stress coping methods, relaxation breathing -RB- and progressive muscle relaxation -PMR). Self-reported measures were used in order to evaluate stress, depression, anxiety, sleep quality/disturbances, life-satisfaction and daily routine. The statistical analyses for the between group differences concerning the main psychosocial study outcomes revealed a statistically significant amelioration of stress, depression, anxiety symptoms and an increase of life-satisfaction and a better daily routine in participants of the intervention group. We hope that these will encourage researchers and clinicians to adopt stress management in their future work.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 4, GR-115-27 Athens, Greece. Electronic address: klinardatou@yahoo.gr.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Linardatou
authors.affiliation: Therapeutic Program for Alcohol and Gambling Addiction of KETHEA-ALFA, Charvouri Str., 1, GR-11636, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parios
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 4, GR-115-27 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Varvogli
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 4, GR-115-27 Athens, Greece; First Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Aghia Sofia, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Thivon & Papadiamantopoulou Str., GR-115-27 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chrousos
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Course Stress Management and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 4, GR-115-27 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Darviri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057566:Self Report; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Gambling; Management; Pathological; Stress