Treatment utilization of pathological gamblers with and without PTSD. 2010

Lisa M Najavits
Harvard Medical School, Treatment Innovations, 28 Westbourne Road, Newton Centre, MA 02459, USA. Lnajavits@hms.harvard.edu

This paper represents the first study of treatment utilization among pathological gamblers with and without PTSD. Comorbidity of PG and PTSD is increasingly recognized as an important association, both in its rate and clinical severity. The sample comprised 106 adults from the community (35 with current PG; 36 with current PTSD, and 35 with BOTH). Four areas were addressed: current treatment utilization, lifetime treatment utilization, specific treatments utilized, and satisfaction with treatments. Results indicated that the presence of PTSD was associated with higher treatment utilization (for current utilization, PTSD was higher than PG; and for lifetime, PTSD and PTSD/PG were both higher than PG). Indeed, only a minority of the PG group had ever attended current or lifetime treatment, whereas the majority of PTSD and PTSD/PG had. Yet notably, those with PG who utilized current treatment had no less satisfaction, number of treatment types, nor number of days in treatment than the other two groups. For all three groups, the most common current treatments were individual therapy and psychiatric medications. Study strengths include a rigorously diagnosed sample; an extensive interview-based assessment of treatment utilization, and identification of both current and lifetime utilization. Limitations include the inability to explore change over time or test-retest reliability of responses.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008016 Life Change Events Those occurrences, including social, psychological, and environmental, which require an adjustment or effect a change in an individual's pattern of living. Life Course,Life Crises,Life Crisis,Life Experiences,Course, Life,Crisis, Life,Event, Life Change,Experience, Life,Life Change Event,Life Courses,Life Experience
D008297 Male Males
D008605 Mental Health Services Organized services to provide mental health care. Mental Hygiene Services,Health Services, Mental,Services, Mental Health,Services, Mental Hygiene,Health Service, Mental,Hygiene Service, Mental,Hygiene Services, Mental,Mental Health Service,Mental Hygiene Service,Service, Mental Health,Service, Mental Hygiene
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005260 Female Females
D005715 Gambling An activity distinguished primarily by an element of risk in trying to obtain a desired goal, e.g., playing a game of chance for money. Pathological Gambling,Gambling, Pathologic,Gambling, Pathological,Gamblings,Gamblings, Pathological,Pathological Gamblings
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000223 Adaptation, Psychological A state of harmony between internal needs and external demands and the processes used in achieving this condition. (From APA Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed). Behavior, Adaptive,Healthy Adaptation,Positive Adaptation,Psychological Recovery,Adaptation, Psychologic,Adjustment,Psychological Adaptation,Adaptation, Healthy,Adaptation, Positive,Adaptive Behavior,Adaptive Behaviors,Healthy Adaptations,Positive Adaptations,Psychologic Adaptation,Psychological Recoveries,Recovery, Psychological
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001294 Attitude to Health Public attitudes toward health, disease, and the medical care system. Health Attitude,Attitude, Health,Attitudes, Health,Health Attitudes,Health, Attitude to

Related Publications

Lisa M Najavits
August 2003, Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology,
Lisa M Najavits
December 1998, Behaviour research and therapy,
Lisa M Najavits
November 1997, Clinical psychology review,
Lisa M Najavits
January 2007, The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law,
Lisa M Najavits
March 1996, Journal of gambling studies,
Lisa M Najavits
June 2003, The British journal of clinical psychology,
Lisa M Najavits
December 2007, Clinical psychology review,
Lisa M Najavits
December 1994, Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry,
Lisa M Najavits
June 1987, The American journal of psychiatry,
Copied contents to your clipboard!