Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and module content of a brief online self-help program for concerned gamblers, i.e., gamblers who perceived a need to change their gambling habits, in the context of a gambling helpline. The program consisted of four modules based on Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), covering motivation to change, logging gambling behaviors, planning and implementing gambling-free activities, and managing risk situations. Gambling expenditures were also logged in the program, and their development over time were analyzed as longitudinal data using marginalized two-part models. Out of 4655 gamblers recruited via the helpline’s webpage, 92% completed content in at least one module, and 23% were active in all four modules. Attrition was in general high, with only 10% retention in the gambling log for longer than 14 days. Gambling expenditures decreased for those who logged them for a shorter time period, whereas it increased for those who logged expenditures for a longer time period. This study shows that it is relatively easy to recruit participants to an online program for concerned gamblers in the context of a gambling helpline. However, since few users logged in to the program more than once, we suggest future online programs to have open modules with all content accessible at once.
Highlights
The prevalence of problem gambling (PG) is 0.5–3% in different parts of the world (Abbott, Romild, & Volberg 2018) and in Sweden, the current prevalence of PG is estimated at 0.6%, with an additional 3.6% defined as at-risk gamblers (The Public Health Agency of Sweden 2019)
PG is associated with serious negative consequences in terms of financial and relational harms and has in the general population been found to coincide with other behavioral addiction problems (Thege, Hodgins, & Wild 2016)
We evaluated the feasibility of a brief online self-help program for gamblers accessing the Swedish national gambling helpline website
Summary
The prevalence of problem gambling (PG) is 0.5–3% in different parts of the world (Abbott, Romild, & Volberg 2018) and in Sweden, the current prevalence of PG is estimated at 0.6%, with an additional 3.6% defined as at-risk gamblers (The Public Health Agency of Sweden 2019). Stigma and a desire to solve the gambling problem on one’s own, are commonly reported barriers to help-seeking among problem gamblers (PGs) (Gainsbury, Hing, & Suhonen 2014; Suurvali, Cordingley, Hodgins, & Cunningham 2009). Both genders are unlikely to seek help, but men express more barriers related to pride and problem denial, compared to women (Rodda, Hing, & Lubman 2014)
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