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Cognitive behavioral treatment for disordered gaming and problem gambling in adolescents : a pilot feasibility study

André, Frida LU ; Einarsson, Isak LU orcid ; Dahlström, Elisabeth ; Niklasson, Katalin LU ; Håkansson, Anders LU and Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma LU (2022) In Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences 127.
Abstract

Background: Disordered gaming and problem gambling (DG/PG) are associated with a range of functional impairments as well as psychiatric comorbidity. With the proliferation of digital gaming apps aimed at children and adolescents, which involve in-game purchases, there is increasing evidence that DG/PG are on the rise in this age range. The behavior can be detected in youth presenting at school-based health clinics and community psychiatric clinics. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of several recommended treatments for adults, but little evidence is available for the efficacy of this approach in adolescents with DG/PG. Aim: To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a CBT-based intervention developed for adolescents with... (More)

Background: Disordered gaming and problem gambling (DG/PG) are associated with a range of functional impairments as well as psychiatric comorbidity. With the proliferation of digital gaming apps aimed at children and adolescents, which involve in-game purchases, there is increasing evidence that DG/PG are on the rise in this age range. The behavior can be detected in youth presenting at school-based health clinics and community psychiatric clinics. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of several recommended treatments for adults, but little evidence is available for the efficacy of this approach in adolescents with DG/PG. Aim: To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a CBT-based intervention developed for adolescents with DG/PG, which can be delivered in routine psychiatric care facilities. Methods: Adolescents who were patients at a child and adolescent psychiatry service were screened for DG/PG. Those aged 12-17 years with pronounced symptoms were invited to participate in a 7-week CBT program called Relapse Prevention. Nine adolescents agreed to participate and five consented to repeated assessments of outcome (pre-, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up). In addition to acceptability and satisfaction with treatment, symptoms of DG were assessed with standardized interview and self-report measures. Results: There were no dropouts from the treatment. Participants who completed treatment and all outcome assessments reported satisfaction with the treatment. The participants showed fewer symptoms of DG after treatment, and the proportion who met criteria for computer game addiction decreased from 56 to 0%. There was no reduction in the number of participants who met criteria for PG. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability and feasibility of a CBT-based intervention for DG/PG in adolescents. Preliminary data suggest that the treatment may be effective for DG but not PG. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this approach for both conditions.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
CBT, gambling, Gaming, relapse prevention
in
Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences
volume
127
article number
e8693
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:35991463
  • scopus:85137009081
ISSN
0300-9734
DOI
10.48101/UJMS.V127.8693
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3e4cb2e7-1cb2-4a3c-a4fd-6f71a4a9ef46
date added to LUP
2022-11-08 13:42:10
date last changed
2024-04-18 07:20:38
@article{3e4cb2e7-1cb2-4a3c-a4fd-6f71a4a9ef46,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Disordered gaming and problem gambling (DG/PG) are associated with a range of functional impairments as well as psychiatric comorbidity. With the proliferation of digital gaming apps aimed at children and adolescents, which involve in-game purchases, there is increasing evidence that DG/PG are on the rise in this age range. The behavior can be detected in youth presenting at school-based health clinics and community psychiatric clinics. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of several recommended treatments for adults, but little evidence is available for the efficacy of this approach in adolescents with DG/PG. Aim: To evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a CBT-based intervention developed for adolescents with DG/PG, which can be delivered in routine psychiatric care facilities. Methods: Adolescents who were patients at a child and adolescent psychiatry service were screened for DG/PG. Those aged 12-17 years with pronounced symptoms were invited to participate in a 7-week CBT program called Relapse Prevention. Nine adolescents agreed to participate and five consented to repeated assessments of outcome (pre-, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up). In addition to acceptability and satisfaction with treatment, symptoms of DG were assessed with standardized interview and self-report measures. Results: There were no dropouts from the treatment. Participants who completed treatment and all outcome assessments reported satisfaction with the treatment. The participants showed fewer symptoms of DG after treatment, and the proportion who met criteria for computer game addiction decreased from 56 to 0%. There was no reduction in the number of participants who met criteria for PG. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for the acceptability and feasibility of a CBT-based intervention for DG/PG in adolescents. Preliminary data suggest that the treatment may be effective for DG but not PG. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this approach for both conditions.</p>}},
  author       = {{André, Frida and Einarsson, Isak and Dahlström, Elisabeth and Niklasson, Katalin and Håkansson, Anders and Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma}},
  issn         = {{0300-9734}},
  keywords     = {{CBT; gambling; Gaming; relapse prevention}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences}},
  title        = {{Cognitive behavioral treatment for disordered gaming and problem gambling in adolescents : a pilot feasibility study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.48101/UJMS.V127.8693}},
  doi          = {{10.48101/UJMS.V127.8693}},
  volume       = {{127}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}