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A Randomized Clinical Trial Exploring Gambling Attitudes, Barriers to Treatment, and Efficacy of a Brief Motivational Intervention Among Ex‐Offenders with Disordered Gambling
Author(s) -
Rosen Laura April,
Weinstock Jeremiah,
Peter Samuel Cody
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.14476
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , psychology , referral , psychiatry , brief intervention , clinical psychology , randomized controlled trial , criminal justice , medicine , family medicine , criminology , surgery
Correctional populations are disproportionately burdened by disordered gambling; yet, problem awareness is minimal among both offenders and professionals within the criminal justice system. The aims of the current study were twofold: (i) to examine gambling attitudes and problem awareness among ex‐offenders, and (ii) to determine the efficacy of a brief online gambling intervention for ex‐offenders. Participants ( N = 126) were ex‐offenders on probation and parole. Gambling attitudes, attitudes toward treatment, and disorder gambling status were assessed. Disordered gamblers ( n = 102) were randomly assigned to (i) a brief intervention plus referral to treatment or (ii) referral to treatment only, and these individuals were re‐assessed at a 30‐day follow‐up. Lifetime disordered gambling was highly prevalent (86%) in the ex‐offender sample, and providing information regarding disordered gambler status and referral to treatment was effective in decreasing gambling attitudes, as well as gambling severity and frequency. The current study has direct implications for treatment and intervention efforts among ex‐offenders with disordered gambling and yields a greater understanding of attitudes toward gambling among ex‐offenders.