title: Study protocol: the JEU cohort study--transversal multiaxial evaluation and 5-year follow-up of a cohort of French gamblers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is abundant literature on how to distinguish problem gambling (PG) from social gambling, but there are very few studies of the long-term evolution of gambling practice. As a consequence, the correlates of key state changes in the gambling trajectory are still unknown. The objective of the JEU cohort study is to identify the determinants of key state changes in the gambling practice, such as the emergence of a gambling problem, natural recovery from a gambling problem, resolution of a gambling problem with intermediate care intervention, relapses or care recourse.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was designed to overcome the limitations of previous cohort study on PG. Indeed, this longitudinal case-control cohort is the first which plans to recruit enough participants from different initial gambling severity levels to observe these rare changes. In particular, we plan to recruit three groups of gamblers: non-problem gamblers, problem gamblers without treatment and problem gamblers seeking treatment.Recruitment takes place in various gambling places, through the press and in care centers. Cohort participants are gamblers of both sexes who reported gambling on at least one occasion in the previous year and who were aged between 18 and 65. They were assessed through a structured clinical interview and self-assessment questionnaires at baseline and then once a year for five years. Data collection comprises sociodemographic characteristics, gambling habits (including gambling trajectory), the PG section of the DSM-IV, the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Gambling Attitudes and Beliefs Survey - 23, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Wender-Utah Rating Scale-Child, the Adult ADHD Self-report Scale, somatic comorbidities (especially current treatment and Parkinson disease) and the Temperament and Character Inventory - 125.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The JEU cohort study is the first study which proposes to identify the predictive factors of key state changes in gambling practice. This is the first case-control cohort on gambling which mixes non-problem gamblers, problem gamblers without treatment and problem gamblers seeking treatment in almost equal proportions. This work may help providing a fresh perspective on the etiology of pathological gambling, which may provide support for future research, care and preventive actions.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT01207674.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Investigation Unit BALANCED "BehaviorAL AddictioNs and ComplEx mood Disorders", Department of Addictology and Psychiatry, University Hospital of Nantes, 85 rue de Saint Jacques, Nantes Cedex 1, 44093, France. gaelle.bouju@chu-nantes.fr.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Challet-Bouju
authors.forename: Jean-Benoit
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hardouin
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vénisse
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romo
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valleur
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magalon
authors.forename: Mélina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatséas
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chéreau-Boudet
authors.forename: Mohamed-Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gorsane
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grall-Bronnec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D002605:Character; D015897:Comorbidity; D003625:Data Collection; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult