ABSTRACT

Only about one in ten gamblers with a lifetime diagnosis of gambling dependence will ever seek treatment (Cunningham, 2005). Many of these problem gamblers are unwilling to access treatment, often because of stigma, embarrassment or a desire to handle their problems on their own (Hodgins & el-Guebaly, 2000; Rockloff & Schofield, 2004). These problem gamblers can be helped. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of self-help interventions for gambling problems (Hodgins, Currie, el-Guebaly, & Peden, 2004; Hodgins, Currie, & el-Guebaly, 2001). This area deserves more attention because it addresses a cost-effective means of helping problem gamblers without requiring them to come to treatment. The aim of self-help interventions is to help problem gamblers where they are, thus circumventing many of the barriers associated with traditional treatment.

One promising self-help intervention for problem gamblers is personalized feedback. Such interventions have shown consistently positive results with other addictive behaviours. We have conducted a pilot test of personalized feedback materials for gamblers with positive results. Given these promising findings, the proposed research will evaluate the sustained efficacy of a personalized feedback intervention for problem gamblers. It is predicted that reductions in gambling will be mediated by changes in respondents’ estimates of how much others gamble (i.e., testing the normative fallacy). In addition, analyses will test for gender differences in the efficacy of the personalized feedback intervention.