Assessment of the Effectiveness of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Reducing Pathological Gambling
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Assessment of the Effectiveness of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Reducing Pathological Gambling Moses Onyemaechi Ede1 · Joachim C. Omeje1 · Damian Chijioke Ncheke1 · John J. Agah2 · Ngozi H. Chinweuba1 · Chijioke Virgilus Amoke1 Accepted: 22 September 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Pathological gambling is a developmental disorder usually associated with a continuous loss of control over gambling; it also involves a preoccupation with gambling and with obtaining money for the same purpose of gambling, irrational thinking, and a continuation of the behaviour despite being aware of its adverse consequences. This study examined the effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioural therapy (GCBT) on pathological gambling among Nigerian students. The study used a group randomised controlled trial design to assign participants to intervention and control groups. A total of 40 undergraduate students, aged 18–30, were classified as pathological gamblers (participants) in this study. Participants completed self-report scales titled South oaks gambling screen and Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale at three-time points. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. The data collected were statistically analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results revealed that GCBT has a significant effect in decreasing the symptoms of pathological gambling among the participants in GCBT compared to those in the control group and that the improvements were maintained at follow-up. The study concluded that group cognitive-behavioural therapy is impactful therapy in reducing pathological gambling among students. It has also validated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy in altering erroneous thoughts and replacing it with a better alternative realistic way of thinking. Keywords Group cognitive-behavioural therapy · Pathological gambling · College students · Nigeria
* Moses Onyemaechi Ede [email protected] * Damian Chijioke Ncheke [email protected] 1
Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
2
Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Journal of Gambling Studies
Introduction Gambling is the established practice of staking money or other valuables on games of an uncertain outcome (Binde 2005). In the context of this study, gambling is contextualised as the practice of making a bet with money and other tangible things on a game with the irresistible intention of making uncertain profits which in turn may bring about psychological malfunctioning in the long run. Gambling activities may include sports betting, poker, dice, bingo, non-casino slot machines, cockfights, games of skill (such as basketball, golf, and pool), horse or greyhound racing, pitching quarters, internet gambling, raffles, scratch-and-win tickets, state run lottery games, and pull tabs (Verbeke and Dittrick-Nathan 2007). There are man
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