Reliability and Validity of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale in Treatment-Seeking Problem Gamblers.

BACKGROUND: Problem gambling is a growing concern as governments become more reliant on gambling revenue particularly from increases in gambling casinos. It is widely reported that problem gamblers experience both high levels of comorbid mental health issues and subsequent disability that comes with such. To date, there have been few measures tested with problem gamblers that are a good measure of this disability. The Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) is a five-item measure of disability, which is used widely in a number of clinical settings including gambling. METHOD: The reliability and validity of the WSAS were examined in 171 outpatient problem gamblers who presented to a cognitive behavior therapy service in Adelaide, Australia. Subjects were assessed by trained cognitive behavior therapists and offered individual outpatient, group, or inpatient treatment. All subjects signed consent for their clinical data to be used and completed a battery of outcome measures at assessment, discharge, and 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the WSAS was excellent among problem gamblers. A principal component analysis generated a single factor of disability. The WSAS has good concurrent validity with measures of gambling and comorbid anxiety and depression. The WSAS also shows promise as a measure of improvement in a clinical service. CONCLUSION: The WSAS has excellent reliability and sound validity among a treatment-seeking problem gambling population. Understanding disability related to gambling may offer insights into the long-term success of gamblers completing treatment. This instrument needs further refinement in a more rigorous experimental setting.

Tecnopatología. La nueva epidemia del siglo XXI / Technopathology: the new epidemic of the 21st century

Las nuevas tecnologías han supuesto un cambio en las formas de comunicación, debido a que el acceso a la información a través de Internet es continuo y lo ha convertido en algunos casos en un hábito adictivo. A través de este artículo, trataremos de analizar, tanto desde el punto de vista biológico como psicológico y social, las patologías que han surgido por el uso excesivo de las TIC (AU)

The new technologies have brought with them a change in the way of communication. The access to information through the Internet is continuous, to the point that, in some cases, it has become into an addiction. Through this article, we would try to analyze from the biologic point of view as the psychological and social ones, the pathologies that have emerged due to the excessive use of the ICTs (AU)

[Pathological gambling and addiction to cannabis: common psychosocial profile?]. / Jeu pathologique et addiction au cannabis profil psychosocial commun?

Addiction can involve substances (heroin, cannabis, cocaine) or be characterised by behaviour (pathological gambling, addiction to sport, etc.). The question is to establish whether or not there is a specific personality profile (character, temperament) and emotional functioning (anxiety, depression, alexithymia) in subjects presenting addictive behaviour with and without substance use. To find some answers, a team from Sainte-Marguerite General Hospital in Marseille carried out a study comparing a group of cannabis addicts and a group of pathological gamblers.

Gaming progress.

Victoria Sharman travelled to Las Vegas on a scholarship to learn about treatment and support for problem gamblers. She discovered high-quality, accessible services, but was most impressed by the city's attitude to gambling.

Gambling behaviors and perceived health among incarcerated older adults.

The proliferation of lotteries and casinos has led to increased participation in gambling. Older adults who have opportunities to gamble may be vulnerable to gambling problems, and incarcerated older adults may be the most vulnerable. Furthermore, research has linked decreased health to gambling problems. This study compared perceived health and gambling problems among 43 incarcerated older adults from two county jails in the midwestern United States. Results from the South Oaks Gambling Screen indicated 48.83% of the sample scored in the problem or pathological range. Short Form-36 results were compared with U.S. norms for ages 55 to 64 and showed significantly lower perceived health scores on Role-Physical, Bodily Pain, Mental Health, Social Functioning, and Role-Emotional subscales. The problem and pathological gamblers showed significantly lower social functioning than the recreational gamblers. Assessment of health conditions and gambling behaviors is important for quantifying current and anticipated burdens of these conditions on correctional health care systems and the community.

Does your older adult client have a gambling problem?

Pathological gambling is becoming an increasing problem in today's culture, particularly because opportunities and inducements to gamble abound. This article describes symptoms, consequences, and comorbidities experienced by pathological gamblers. Gambling pathology is often invisible because pathological gamblers seldom disclose gambling problems to their primary care provider. Thus, nurses will benefit from knowledge of the physical and emotional signs of the disorder. A two-question assessment tool, the Lie/Bet Questionnaire, is useful in helping nurses identify pathological gamblers. Interventions and treatment options, including group therapy and environmental modification, are also discussed. As always, education concerning problems and consequences of pathological gambling is a first step. Because research has indicated that visits to casinos by older adults have doubled since 1975, the authors use an example of an older adult to clarify the issues. Although the article's content is applicable to clients across the life span, it has particular significance for older adults.