The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER Vol 9(52) - In Celebration of the WAGER and Tom Cummings: Reflections on a Seminal Publication

After 10 years of continuous weekly publications, The WAGER will cease to exist as an independent entity and will become the flagship science review of the BASIS (www.basisonline.org). The following comments come from current contributors, former contributors, editors, and supporters. They are reflections on what the WAGER has meant to each individual and where we all hope the WAGER will go, under the auspices of the BASIS. For those who had the pleasure of meeting Tom Cummings, co­creator of the WAGER, there are fond memories of him as well. We are all pleased to have been a part of this... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(51) - Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks. Part 3 - Family Interventions for Problem Gambling

Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks. Part 3 - Family Interventions for Problem Gambling Series organized by Michael Stanton Because of its far-reaching impact, some refer to pathological gambling as a “family disease” (Heineman, 1994, p. 67) and suggest that it is as important to help the family of the gambler as it is to help the gambler (Heineman, 1994). Pathological gambling has the potential to cause serious financial difficulties for gamblers and their families; financial problems, lying, and deceit can place considerable strain on familial relationships. This circumstance can cause great stress for the person sharing responsibility for household... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(50) - Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks. Part 2 - Family Feud: Addiction and Family Interactions

Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks Part 2 - Family Feud: Addiction and Family Interactions Series organized by Michael Stanton Like other addictions, disordered gambling develops in stages (Shaffer, 1997) -- from initiation, to use associated with positive consequences, to adverse consequences which may or may not be recognized by the gambler1. At all stages, the gambler’s social network of family and friends can experience such problems as a lack of communication, emotional, financial, and even physical damage, as well as an uneasy concern for a loved one with problems (Abbott, Cramer, & Sherrets, 1995). To examine how addiction in... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(49) - Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks. Part 1: Social Networks: Good, Bad or Ugly

Gambling Problems, Relationships and Social Networks Part 1: Social Networks: Good, Bad or Ugly Series compiled by:Michael Stanton Introduction to the Series Anyone who has ever been affected by addiction, directly or indirectly, understands how integral a role personal relationships play in addiction. Family, friends, and social networks can: (1) initiate addictive behavior, (2) contribute to the development of addiction, (3) suffer as a result of addiction, (4) serve as a protective factor against the development of addition, and (5) influence addiction recovery. The relationship between addiction and social networks can be recursive. For people with gambling problems, feelings of... Read more →

The WAGER Vol. 9(48) - Do the Effects Hold?: Brief Gambling Treatment – Beyond the 12-Month Follow-up

Few of the millions of people who encounter problems with addiction ever seek treatment. People with gambling problems, for which treatment is less available and less publicized than other addictive behaviors, are likely no exception.1 Research suggests that many disordered gamblers do not seek treatment because they want to handle the problem on their own (Hodgins & el-Guebaly, 2000). For these people brief treatments and self-help tools are important treatment options and their efficacy should be a major topic for the field of gambling studies. Hodgins, Currie, and el-Guebaly (2001), in a study reviewed by WAGER 7(3), tested the efficacy... Read more →