Abstract
BackgroundThere 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/designThe 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.DiscussionThe 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.Trial Registration(ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT01207674.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-014-0226-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
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
The JEU cohort study is the first study which proposes to identify the predictive factors of key state changes in gambling practice
Non-Problem Gamblers (NPG) and Problem Gamblers Without Treatment (PGWT) were recruited in various gambling places and through the press, in order to obtain the broadest possible range of gambling severity levels and gambling activities
Summary
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. Other studies confirmed that a status of pathological gambler is unstable over time (16–19) Another cohort study by Nelson et al [9] showed that the onset of gambling and gambling problems occurs later in women, but they seek treatment sooner. The majority of studies only report the description and prevalence of these state changes, but do not look for a causal effect between certain psychosocial correlates and changes over time When these studies explored these state changes in greater detail, they were limited by the restricted number of problem gamblers in their samples, making it difficult to observe the changes [13]. Most of these studies are based exclusively on selfreported measurements of gambling practice and PG symptoms [9,10,11]
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