Session Title

Poster Session

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 10:30 AM

End Date

24-5-2023 11:15 AM

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Almost 2 in 5 individuals experiencing gambling-related harms will initiate treatment and then prematurely discontinue. However, studies have proven unsuccessful in identifying a consistent set of variables that predict discontinuation. The absence of consistent findings may be attributed to 1) disparate definitions of discontinuation and 2) the focus on demographic variables rather than personal history variables that might impact the receipt of treatment. The present study intends to improve upon existing research by focusing on treatment participation (i.e., number of sessions attended) rather than discontinuation and examining a broader set of variables that are specific to an individual’s gambling and financial status before deciding to enter treatment (i.e., pretreatment abstinence, bankruptcy, debt).

Archival data from a sample of 128 patients receiving treatment for gambling-related harms at an outpatient treatment facility will be analyzed. On average, participants are 45 years old and predominantly men (55.8%) who represent diverse races (58% White and 37% Black). Participants completed a battery of self-report questions assessing for demographic information, pre-treatment financial status, and gambling history. Linear regressions and independent samples t-tests will be used.

Implications:

These results may elucidate a relation between previously unexplored variables and psychotherapy session attendance. We anticipate that this finding would enhance clinicians’ ability to identify patients at risk of low treatment engagement. It may also inform future research intending to mitigate the risk of low engagement through targeted interventions.

Keywords

psychotherapy attendance, treatment engagement, pretreatment change

Author Bios

Hannah G. Mitchell, MA is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at East Tennessee State University and a graduate assistant for The Institute for Gambling Education and Research. Her research focuses on the intersection of neuropsychological disorders and high-risk health behaviors, including substance use disorders and behavioral additions.

Meredith K. Ginley, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at East Tennessee State University and a co-investigator at The Institute for Gambling Education and Research. Her research focuses on efforts to improve outcomes and retention in treatment for substance use disorders and behavioral addictions.

James P. Whelan, PhD is a University of Memphis Professor of Psychology and Director of The Institute for Gambling Education and Research. He leads the Institute’s initiative to develop a research center response for all living in the U.S. state of Tennessee – a project funded by Tennessee’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. His research spans prevention, assessment, and treatment of gambling disorder.  

Rory A. Pfund, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor of Psychology and the Clinic and Research Director of The Institute of Gambling Education and Research at the University of Memphis. Dr. Pfund’s research focuses on understanding the effects of psychological treatments for gambling disorder. He is currently the co-investigator on a grant from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop a web-based portal to facilitate the initiation of gambling disorder treatment. 

Funding Sources

This project was funded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The funding source had no involvement in any aspects of the research, including the decision to submit the abstract.

Competing Interests

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Download

Share

COinS
 
May 24th, 10:30 AM May 24th, 11:15 AM

Predicting Psychotherapy Session Attendance among Individuals Experiencing Gambling-Related Harms

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Almost 2 in 5 individuals experiencing gambling-related harms will initiate treatment and then prematurely discontinue. However, studies have proven unsuccessful in identifying a consistent set of variables that predict discontinuation. The absence of consistent findings may be attributed to 1) disparate definitions of discontinuation and 2) the focus on demographic variables rather than personal history variables that might impact the receipt of treatment. The present study intends to improve upon existing research by focusing on treatment participation (i.e., number of sessions attended) rather than discontinuation and examining a broader set of variables that are specific to an individual’s gambling and financial status before deciding to enter treatment (i.e., pretreatment abstinence, bankruptcy, debt).

Archival data from a sample of 128 patients receiving treatment for gambling-related harms at an outpatient treatment facility will be analyzed. On average, participants are 45 years old and predominantly men (55.8%) who represent diverse races (58% White and 37% Black). Participants completed a battery of self-report questions assessing for demographic information, pre-treatment financial status, and gambling history. Linear regressions and independent samples t-tests will be used.

Implications:

These results may elucidate a relation between previously unexplored variables and psychotherapy session attendance. We anticipate that this finding would enhance clinicians’ ability to identify patients at risk of low treatment engagement. It may also inform future research intending to mitigate the risk of low engagement through targeted interventions.