Kathleen Zamperini - Gambling Disorder: A Clinician's Guide to Screening, Assessment, & Treatment Options

Outline

Assessment and Screening 

• Top 5 red flags when gambling becomes problematic 
• DSM-5 criteria for Gambling Disorder 
• Action gambler vs. Escape gambler 
• Risk factors: Genetics, co-occurring disorders, and predisposing events 
• Assessments and screenings  
  • Lie-Bet –2 simple questions you can add to your current assessment 
  • Gambler’s Anonymous twenty questions 
  • South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) 
  • G-BIRT – how to ask screening questions for the best results 
• The stages of problem gambling 
  • Winning/social, losing, desperation, hopelessness  
• Factors affecting progression 
  • Life stressors and internal factors 
  • Depression, general health, nutrition, and more 
    • Case study – 65-year-old female – gambling triggers/sugar 

Treatment and Intervention Strategies  

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 
• Self-esteem and self-care strategies, including nutrition 
• Grief counseling 
• Case study – 43 – year old male – unresolved grief 
• Self-exclusion  
• Financial problems are the symptom not the cause 
  • What is a ‘bail out” and how does it affect gambling problems? 
• Stages of recovery 
  • Critical stage 
  • Rebuilding stage 
  • Growth stage 

Clinical and Ethical Considerations 

• Education and awareness for clients 
• When to refer to a Gambling Counselor 
• The limitations of research studies 
• Additional resources  
  • Gamblers Anonymous 
  • GAM-ANON 
  • National Council on Problem Gambling