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Stability and progression of disordered gambling: lessons from longitudinal studies
Debi A LaPlante1, Sarah E Nelson, Richard A LaBrie
1Research Faculty, Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Medford, Massachusetts, USA. debi_laplante@hms.harvard.edu
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie
|February 22, 2008
Summary
Disordered gambling is not always persistent or progressive. This review found that gambling problems can improve or worsen, challenging the notion that they are intractable and escalating.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Conventional wisdom suggests disordered gambling is intractable and escalating.
- Few studies have examined the stability or progression of gambling disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the stability and progression of disordered gambling.
- To challenge assumptions about the enduring nature of gambling problems.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 5 prospective studies.
- Analysis of gambling behavior in non-treatment samples.
Main Results:
- No evidence found to support the persistence assumption (individuals cannot recover).
- No evidence found to support the selective-stability assumption (severity predicts improvement).
- No evidence found to support the progression assumption (problems worsen over time).
Conclusions:
- Contrary to popular belief, gambling problems are not always progressive and enduring.
- Disordered gambling exhibits instability and multidirectional courses.
- Individuals can recover from disordered gambling.
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