Treatment of gambling disorder patients with comorbid depression.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to investigate and clinically assess comorbid depression and its relevance in individuals suffering from gambling disorders. The DSM-V defines the condition of gambling disorder as a persistent and recurrent problematic gambling behaviour leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.


METHODS
A total of 61 subjects with gambling disorders were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID-I), the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Major Depression inventory (MDI).


RESULTS
Two-way analysis of variance showed highly significant treatment outcomes associated with reductions in SOGS, F(1,60)=84.79, p<0.0001, MDI, F(1,60)=38.13, p<0.0001, craving, F(1,60)=29.59, p<0.0001, and gambling control, 47.65, p<0.0001. There was also a highly significant outcome associated with comorbidity in MDI, F(1,60)=9.17, p<0.0001. Finally, there was a significant interaction effect between treatment outcome and comorbidity, F(1,60)=3.90, p<0.005, suggesting that both treatment and comorbidity contributed to reductions in depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest and highlights the importance and benefits of integrated treatment of gambling disorders and its comorbidity, but also stresses the importance of adequate screening and detection of these two variables.
1Research Clinic on Gambling Disorders,Aarhus University Hospital,Aarhus,Denmark.
Jakob
J
Linnet
1Research Clinic on Gambling Disorders,Aarhus University Hospital,Aarhus,Denmark.
Monique
M
Jeppsen Mensink
1Research Clinic on Gambling Disorders,Aarhus University Hospital,Aarhus,Denmark.
Johanne
J
de Neergaard Bonde
3Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center,Aarhus University Hospital,Aarhus,Denmark.
Michael
M
Winterdahl
D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
SCID-I; cognitive behavioural therapy; depression; gambling disorder; integrated treatment