Gambling problems seldom come alone: prevalence and temporal relationships of mental health problems in casino excluders

To estimate the effectiveness of gambling exclusion programmes, previous research focused on changes in gambling behaviour post-exclusion. Although other mental health problems, especially co-morbid mental disorders, may be crucial for relapse and recovery of gambling-related problems, these factors...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International gambling studies 2019-09, Vol.19 (3), p.399-416
Main Authors: Kotter, R., Kräplin, A., Pittig, A., Bühringer, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior change
Casino
co-morbidity
Counseling services
Early intervention
Gambling
Health
Health problems
Health status
Help seeking behavior
Medical screening
Mental disorders
Mental health
Pathological gambling
Pharmacology
Psychotherapy
Questionnaires
Relapse
self-exclusion
Selfawareness
Sequences
Substance use disorder
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Summary:To estimate the effectiveness of gambling exclusion programmes, previous research focused on changes in gambling behaviour post-exclusion. Although other mental health problems, especially co-morbid mental disorders, may be crucial for relapse and recovery of gambling-related problems, these factors have rarely been studied in excluders. Therefore, this study aimed to assess a comprehensive mental health status of excluders using well-validated diagnostic instruments. Fifty-eight casino excluders participated in face-to-face diagnostic interviews and completed several validated questionnaires (e.g. Stinchfield Questionnaire, Brief Symptom Inventory). Retrospective temporal sequences of diagnosed mental disorders, help-seeking behaviour and exclusion were examined. The majority of excluders reported impairments in mental health aspects. About three-quarters met criteria of lifetime gambling disorder, more than half in the last 12 months whereby screening and diagnostic measures correlated moderately. Other mental disorders were frequent, especially affective and substance-related disorders and typically preceded the onset of gambling disorder. Six years passed between self-awareness of gambling problems and help-seeking. Two more years passed until exclusion. Frequent mental health problems suggest the need for individually tailored support beyond exclusion programmes (e.g. psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, counselling services). Late help-seeking and exclusion entry claim for improved early detection and intervention concepts that consider underlying mental disorders.
ISSN:1445-9795
1479-4276
DOI:10.1080/14459795.2019.1575451