Short-term effectiveness of gambling treatment in the Daily Clinic for Gambling Addiction

In response to the high prevalence of gambling addiction within the population, a specialised Daily Clinic for Gambling Addiction was established at the University Psychiatric Hospital "St. John" in Zagreb (Croatia). This clinic offers a unique three-month, semi-structured, intensive multidimensional and multidisciplinary treatment approach delivered by a team of specialised mental health professionals. Treatment interventions include individual and group psychotherapy, socioemotional skills training, family therapy, support groups and other modalities. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, the study team is conducting a scientific evaluation to determine the outcomes of the treatment. This study presents results on its' short-term effectiveness, based on a sample of N = 209 patients (Mean Age = 33.54; Males = 92.8%; Females = 7.2%) who underwent treatment between 2017 and 2021. To assess the effectiveness of the treatment, a research design incorporating two measurement sessions (pre-test and post-test) was employed. This design utilised a comprehensive battery of validated instruments, each targeting specific constructs or domains of psychosocial functioning that the intervention aims to address. The assessment tools included: (1) Problem Gambling Severity Index-PGSI, (2) Gambling Attitudes Scale-GAS, (3) Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-CISS, (4) The Gambling Beliefs Scale-short version, (5) Problem Solving and Refusal Skills Scale, (6) Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-DASS-21, (7) Generalised Self-Efficacy Scale-GSE, and (8) Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results indicate significant positive improvements in gamblers' psychosocial functioning with the following large effect sizes: gambling-related consequences (r = 0.84), task oriented coping (Cohen's d = 0.79), emotion oriented coping (Cohen's d = 1.06), attitudes (r = 0.67), superstition (r = 0.61), illusion of control (r = 0.62), depression (r = 0.78), anxiety (r = 0.71), stress (r = 0.73), problem-solving skills (r = 0.73) and general self-efficacy (r = 0.61). The effects on refusal skills (Cohen's d = 0.48) as well as on alcohol (Cohen's d = 0.24) and marihuana (r = 0.26) were small to medium. Findings are discussed in terms of appropriate treatment approaches for gambling addiction, methodological challenges in measuring effects and implications for future evaluation research. In general, this treatment protocol provides promising effects for gambling addiction.