The Norwegian remote intervention programme for problem gambling: Short- and long-term outcomes

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Problem gambling causes significant distress, yet few individuals seek traditional face-to-face treatment.
• A Norwegian governmental program offers internet- and telephone-based interventions for problem gamblers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a governmental internet- and telephone-based intervention program for problem gambling.
• Assess changes in gambling behavior, gambling-related cognitions, and mental health.

Main Methods:

• A one-group pre-test post-test design with follow-up was employed.
• 67 participants completed the intervention; 25 completed the 6-12 month follow-up.
• Measures included the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised (SOGS-R), Gambling-Related Cognitions Questionnaire (GBQ), and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R).

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in gambling behavior, gambling problems, and gambling-related cognitive distortions were observed.
• Moderate reductions in mental health symptoms were found from pre-intervention to post-intervention and follow-up.
• Effect sizes for gambling and cognitive distortion reductions were very large; for mental distress, they were moderate.

Conclusions:

• The internet/telephone program demonstrates positive short- and long-term outcomes in reducing gambling behavior, cognitive distortions, and mental health symptoms.
• Participation may lower the threshold for seeking additional treatment.
• Future research should include a control group to further validate these findings.