The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, Vol. 6 (51) - Predictors of Therapeutic Failure

Past WAGERs (6(14) and 6(45)) have discussed various treatments for gambling and often pointed out the difficulty in assessing a treatment program’s efficacy. Research that evaluates program efficacy tends to emphasize factors that predict successful treatment outcomes. Typically, clinical research does not include factors associated with poor treatment outcomes, perhaps because dropouts and non-compliant subjects are eliminated from the pool of treatment participants. This week’s WAGER examines a study designed to identify factors associated with treatment dropouts and relapses within a one year period following behavioral therapy (Echeburúa et al., 2001). This study provides the opportunity to consider predictive factors... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 6 (50) - Evidence-based Guidelines for Treatment

As the number of clinical interventions for pathological gambling grows, so does the need for proper evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Many researchers advocate the practice of evidence-based psychotherapy (Chambless & Ollendick, 2001). However, it might surprise readers to learn that a debate exists within the clinical and research community as to whether using evidence-based methods is an appropriate goal for practicing clinicians. This WAGER reports on a review by Chambless and Ollendick (2001), that summarized evidence, criticisms, and responses pertaining to the classification of empirically validated treatments and the dissemination of such classifications. The WAGER focuses on common criticisms of... Read more →

The WAGER, Vol. 6 (49) - Problem and Non-Problem Gambling Adolescent Marijuana Abusers: Non-gambling Risk Behaviors Part II

A previous WAGER highlighted problem gambling among adolescents as an important issue. High prevalence rates among adolescents (Shaffer, Hall, & Vanderbilt, 1999) confirm this importance. The current WAGER is the second in a two-part series that reports on how the gambling pathology of substance abusers is associated with other potentially harmful behaviors. Last week’s WAGER reviewed a study by Petry (2000) that explored HIV-risk behaviors among adult substance abusers. In this WAGER, we review a study conducted by Petry and Tawfik (2001) that explored illegal and risky sexual behavior among adolescent marijuana abusers.1 A total of 255 marijuana-abusing adolescents (aged... Read more →