NCT03145792

Online Coping Skills Counseling for Problem Gambling and Trauma

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 65 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Windsor · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This randomized controlled trial examines the efficacy of two behavioral therapies. Seeking Safety, which addresses co-occurring problem gambling (PG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is being compared to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for PG, which addresses only PG. Both models are delivered via telehealth.

Detailed description

Our key study question is whether an integrated focus on PG and PTSD (Seeking Safety; SS) offers a useful new option for clinical care compared to a purely problem gambling approach (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for PG; CBT-PG). This question-the impact of integrated versus non-integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders-is one of the key issues in the field currently and has never been studied in relation to PG and PTSD. Our aims are: 1. To conduct an RCT of SS versus CBT-PG in a sample of 84 people with current PG and PTSD (full or subthreshold). 2. To evaluate outcomes from baseline to end of treatment and 12 month followup on two primary variables (money lost gambling and number of gambling sessions) and several secondary variables. Our hypotheses are: (a) SS will do no worse than CBT-PG on the primary PG outcomes as both treatments are designed to address addiction; i.e., both will show improvement from baseline to end of treatment and maintenance of gains through the followup. (b) SS will show superior results on trauma symptoms as SS is designed to address those, whereas CBT-PG is not.

Conditions

• Gambling Disorder
• Trauma, Psychological
• Problem Gambling
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Seeking Safety	Seeking Safety (SS) is a present-focused, evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for trauma and/or addiction. It offers safe coping skills and education relevant to both problem areas.
BEHAVIORAL	CBT for Pathological Gambling	Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Pathological Gambling (CBT-PG) is an evidence-based therapy for gambling problems. It focuses on cognitive correction, problem solving, social skills and relapse prevention.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-10-01
• Primary completion: 2021-06-01
• Completion: 2021-06-01
• First posted: 2017-05-09
• Last updated: 2025-03-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States