The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol. 7(22) - Rule of Thumb: Domestic Violence & Addiction

Domestic violence is a serious problem for many people, including those with gambling related problems (Lesieur & Rothschild, 1989; Smith, 2000). Treatment providers helping individuals with any pattern of addictive behavior can position themselves to identify and curtail domestic violence problems among their caseload. This week’s WAGER summarizes a call to addiction treatment providers to become more aware of their potential for identifying and curtailing domestic violence (Smith, 2000). Generally speaking, domestic violence follows an observable pattern. Smith (2000) suggested that three phases best describe domestic violence: (1) the explosive phase (e.g. violence), (2) the honeymoon phase (e.g., apologies, romancing,... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 7(21) - Clinical Judgment: Eight Communication Error Traps

There is a clear need for well developed treatment for pathological gambling. Interestingly, non-specific or common factors such as client attributes, expectancies, and the nature of the treatment provider-patient relationship, account for a considerable amount of treatment outcome (Hubble, Duncan, & Miller, 1999). For example, treatment providers rely heavily on their patients’ self-reports to evaluate subjective phenomena, such as pain intensity and mood. A number of communication factors likely influence these reports and ultimately can affect treatment plans and progress. In Table 1, this week’s WAGER summarizes a recent review of the psychological research literature regarding common errors in treatment... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 7(20) - The Perfect Match? Co-occurring Problem Drinking and Gambling

Conventional wisdom and clinical experience suggest that alcohol dependence (AD) is highly comorbid with pathological gambling (PG). Unfortunately, the evidence from studies is mixed; disparities abound for prevalence estimates of both PG and AD and few studies have included both disorders. In this week’s WAGER, we report the results of several prevalence studies including a recent national study (Welte et al., 2001) designed to measure the prevalence of comorbid PG and AD (Table 1). As will be discussed below, we suggest that methodological differences and limitations contribute to variations in reported prevalence rates. It is also suggested that meta-analysis might... Read more →

The WAGER 7(19): Musical Explorations of Problem Gambling

This week the WAGER announces a Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions web initiative, Addictions and the Humanities. The aim of this initiative is to create a public forum to discuss literature, art, music, and performing arts related to addiction. New issues of Addictions and the Humanities will be published quarterly. Below is an article from the first issue. The Division on Addictions welcomes article submissions. Musical Explorations of Problem Gambling “Ah let me tell you people About this blackjack game It's caused me nothing but trouble And I've only myself to blame” — Ray Charles (1958) What do AC/DC,... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 7(18) - Don’t Bet On It: Curtailing Gambling Among Student-Athletes

Despite being banned by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA), sports betting among college athletes occurs with surprising frequency (WAGER 7(10)). In an effort to prevent or at least minimize the amount of gambling that occurs on college campuses, the NCAA together with the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) developed an online self-help guide, “Don’t bet on it: Don’t gamble on your future,” (National Endowment for Financial Education & National College Athletic Association, 1999). The guide presents anecdotal evidence about students who suffered negative consequences of sports betting, information about the risks of on-campus betting, NCAA rules pertaining to... Read more →