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Computer-based Training (Retraining) for People With Gambling Problems

NCT ID: NCT03460288

Last Updated: 2019-04-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

141 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-01-18

Study Completion Date

2018-12-11

Brief Summary

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The study examines the efficacy and acceptance of a computer-based training program for individuals with problematic or pathological gambling behavior. The study intends to investigate the extent to which the computer-based training program leads to a significant reduction in pathological gambling (primary outcome) when compared to a control group. The study design is a randomized-controlled trial with one intervention group and one wait-list control group.

Detailed Description

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The study examines the efficacy of a computer-based training program for individuals with problematic and pathological gambling behavior. The main objective of the study is to investigate the extent to which the online program leads to a significant reduction in pathological gambling. The primary outcome is the Pathological Gambling Adaptation of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsory Scale (PG-YBOCS total score) as a measure of the severity of pathological gambling symptoms. Secondary outcomes are further measures of gambling-related symptoms, such as the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), as well as rates of depression, measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 items depression module (PHQ-9), and rates of impulsivity, measured with the impulsivity subscale of the Eysenck's Impulsivity Inventory (I-7). The training is expected to lead to a significant reduction in problematic/pathological gambling behavior (PG-YBOCS) and all secondary outcomes when compared to a control group. The study design is a randomized-controlled trial with one intervention group and one wait-list control group and two assessment times (pre and post). The intervention group receives the download link for the training program directly following the baseline survey and can use the training over a period of 8 weeks, whereas the wait-list control group receives access to the training after completion of the post-survey.

Conditions

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Gambling, Pathological

Keywords

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Gambling, Problematic Gambling, Pathological Gambling

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

The study is a randomly controlled study with 2 conditions: Condition 1: Computer-based training program (retraining), condition 2: Wait-list control group (access to the training after the post-assessment).

Two assessments-points, the intervention period (pre-post) is eight weeks. Sociodemographic and pathological data are obtained with an internet survey on Unipark®.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Intervention Group

The training-program includes ten pictures related to slot-machine gambling and 10 neutral pictures that need to be either pushed (i.e., avoidance) or pulled (i.e., approach) with the computer mouse or finger (when a tablet is used) according to a non-affective dimension (color of the frame). Pictures are presented in random order.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Retraining (AAT)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The training program is based upon the approach-avoidance task (AAT) and can be easily performed on a computer, laptop or tablet. There is a total of 20 pictures, 10 slot-machine gambling related pictures and 10 neutral pictures that were already used in a prior study (Wittekind et al., submitted). The pictures appear on the computer screen and have to be either pushed or pulled. Pushing and pulling depends on a masked instruction (not related to the content of the pictures, but to the color of the frame). All gambling-related pictures are framed with the color that is instructed to be pushed, all neutral pictures are framed with the color that is instructed to be pulled.

Wait-list control group

The participants of the wait-list control condition do not receive the retraining intervention during the intervention period of 8 weeks, but may continue any treatment that has already been started before, including pharmacological treatment. Participants in the wait-list control condition receive full access to the training program after completion of the post-assessment.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Retraining (AAT)

The training program is based upon the approach-avoidance task (AAT) and can be easily performed on a computer, laptop or tablet. There is a total of 20 pictures, 10 slot-machine gambling related pictures and 10 neutral pictures that were already used in a prior study (Wittekind et al., submitted). The pictures appear on the computer screen and have to be either pushed or pulled. Pushing and pulling depends on a masked instruction (not related to the content of the pictures, but to the color of the frame). All gambling-related pictures are framed with the color that is instructed to be pushed, all neutral pictures are framed with the color that is instructed to be pulled.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* informed consent
* access to internet
* sufficient command of the German language
* willingness to participate in two short (25-30 minutes) online surveys
* willingness to use the online program over a period of 8 weeks (participants who do not use the program are also included in the analysis)
* willingness to leave an (anonymous) email-address
* subjective need for treatment

Exclusion Criteria

* presence of a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
* acute suicidal tendency (assessed with item 9 of the PHQ-9, ≥3)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Steffen Moritz, Prof. Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

Locations

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University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

Hamburg, , Germany

Site Status

Countries

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Germany

Other Identifiers

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Retraining

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id