Abstract
Background Longer treatment duration is important for the successful treatment of gambling disorder (GD). This retrospective study investigated the factors and interventions that might enhance treatment duration in GD patients in South Korea.MethodsA total of 758 outpatients with a primary diagnosis of GD, who were treated in a clinical practice from 2002 to 2011, were assessed by retrospective chart review. We compared the treatment duration according to pharmacotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).ResultsPharmacotherapy contributed to a longer duration of treatment maintenance, despite the patients’ gambling severity (p < 0.001). Participation in group CBT (p < 0.001) and antidepressants (p = 0.009) were associated with a longer treatment duration after adjusting for age, depression, and gambling severity. The treatment maintenance duration was the longest in those receiving combined antidepressant pharmacotherapy and group CBT (F = 35.79, p < 0.001).ConclusionsGroup CBT and antidepressants seem to enhance treatment follow-up duration in GD patients. Additional studies are needed to advance GD prevention and treatment strategies.
Highlights
Longer treatment duration is important for the successful treatment of gambling disorder (GD)
The current study investigated whether treatment intervention, and which treatment approach, is related to a lower rate of dropout in GD patients in South Korea
Previous researchers independently demonstrated the effect of pharmacotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on GD, the current study is the first to investigate the combined effect on treatment adherence [27,28,29]
Summary
Longer treatment duration is important for the successful treatment of gambling disorder (GD). This retrospective study investigated the factors and interventions that might enhance treatment duration in GD patients in South Korea. Gambling disorder (GD), or pathological gambling, has rarely been studied as a disease. GD was classified as a clinically significant addictive disorder [2]. Several controlled clinical trials have been conducted on a variety of pharmaceutical classes and have established an evidence-based background for the disease [6]. The influence of these treatment modalities on treatment duration and adherence in GD has rarely been studied, and has not yet been revealed [7]
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