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Comparison of Imaginal Desensitisation with other Behavioural Treatments of Pathological Gambling a Two- to Nine-Year Follow-up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Nathaniel McConaghy ,
Alexander Blaszczynski  and
Anna Frankova
Nathaniel McConaghy*
Affiliation:
School of Psychiatry, University of NSW, Psychiatry Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, High St, Randwick, NSW, Australia, 2031
Alexander Blaszczynski
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
Anna Frankova
Affiliation:
Prince of Wales Hospital, High St, Randwick, NSW, Australia
*
∗ Correspondence
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Abstract

Of 120 pathological gamblers randomly allocated to imaginal desensitisation (ID) or to other behavioural procedures (60 to each group, all procedures administered over one week) 63 subjects were contacted two to nine years later. Twenty-six of the 33 who received ID reported control or cessation of gambling compared with 16 of 30 who received other behavioural procedures. This difference was significant, indicating ID had a specific effect additional to that of the other behavioural procedures. It is suggested the other procedures could be regarded as placebos. As the response at a mean of over five years to one week of ID is comparable with that reported to more intensive therapies, after briefer follow-up, it is suggested ID is a cost-effective therapy for pathological gambling, and is worth considering when resources are limited.

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Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 159 , Issue 3 , September 1991 , pp. 390 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © 1991 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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