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Home-Based Imaginal Desensitisation in Pathological Gambling: Short-Term Outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Alex Blaszczynski ,
Juliette Drobny  and
Zachary Steel
Alex Blaszczynski*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Australia and Department of Medical Psychology, Westmead Hospital, Australia.
Juliette Drobny
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology, Westmead Hospital, Australia.
Zachary Steel
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Research and Teaching Unit, Liverpool Hospital, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Professor Alex Blaszczynski, School of Psychology F12, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia. E-mail: alexb@psych.usyd.edu.au
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Abstract

Randomised controlled outcome studies have demonstrated the efficacy of imaginal desensitisation in inpatient settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a prerecorded audiocassette version of the imaginal desensitisation procedure that was designed for home-based use in reducing gambling urges and behaviours on a sample of diagnosed pathological gamblers who sought treatment at a university teaching hospital at 2-month follow-up. Pretreatment to 2-month follow-up repeated measures revealed a significant reduction in visual analogue scale ratings of urge, preoccupation and perceived self-control over gambling; indices of actual gambling behaviour; and psychometric measures of anxiety, depression and impulsivity. A prerecorded audiocassette version of imaginal desensitisation for home use represents a cost-effective approach in the management of pathological gambling.

Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , 01 March 2005 , pp. 13 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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