Alfred Health, Wellbeing and Recovery Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
Wellbeing and Recovery Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 5;19(23):16273. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316273.
The evidence base for internet therapies is building but little is known yet about the acceptability and effectiveness of providing telehealth online in a group format for the treatment of gambling disorders. Therefore, this uncontrolled, real-world study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of providing evidence-based treatment in a group format using an online platform. This innovative approach to treatment of people experiencing gambling harm was developed during the COVID pandemic so that gamblers could access evidence-based treatment from their homes. A closed group treatment program was developed using telehealth, enabling gamblers to come together weekly to engage in a treatment program based on behavioral therapy using cue exposure. Four online gamblers who met the criteria for Gambling Disorder were recruited from a gambling help service. A case report evaluation methodology was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the effectiveness of this approach to treatment. Treatment was conducted weekly over 12 months. All participants engaged with the program and after completing treatment participants no longer met the criteria for a Gambling Disorder, were abstinent for 12 months post treatment and achieved improved life functioning. This program provides preliminary evidence that providing treatment online in a group setting can be an acceptable and effective model in the delivery of treatment for clients unable to attend face-to-face clinics or preferring telemedicine as an option for treatment delivery. These findings warrant further exploration through a larger randomized controlled study.
网络疗法的证据基础正在建立，但对于以团体形式在线提供远程医疗治疗赌博障碍的可接受性和有效性，目前还知之甚少。因此，本项无对照、真实世界研究旨在评估使用在线平台以团体形式提供循证治疗的可行性和有效性。这种针对有赌博问题人群的创新治疗方法是在 COVID 大流行期间开发的，以便赌徒可以从家中获得循证治疗。使用远程医疗开发了一个封闭的团体治疗计划，使赌徒能够每周相聚，参与基于行为疗法的治疗计划，包括线索暴露。从一个赌博救助服务中招募了四名符合赌博障碍标准的在线赌徒。采用病例报告评估方法深入了解这种治疗方法的有效性。治疗在 12 个月内每周进行一次。所有参与者都参与了该计划，治疗结束后，所有参与者不再符合赌博障碍标准，在治疗结束后 12 个月内保持戒赌状态，并提高了生活功能。该方案初步证明，在无法参加面对面诊所或更喜欢远程医疗作为治疗选择的客户中，以团体形式在线提供治疗是一种可接受且有效的模式。这些发现需要通过更大的随机对照研究进一步探讨。
