Contingency Management + Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Gambling Addiction

Overseen By Meredith K Ginley, Ph.D.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: East Tennessee State University

Disqualifiers: Minors, Psychotic symptoms, Suicidal intent, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 8 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines how adding contingency management (CM) to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might assist individuals with gambling addiction. CM provides rewards, such as gift cards, to encourage attendance at therapy sessions and participation in peer support activities. The goal is to determine if CM can enhance the effectiveness of CBT, the standard treatment for gambling issues. Individuals dealing with gambling problems who can attend weekly sessions for eight weeks might be suitable candidates. As an unphased trial, this study presents a unique opportunity to explore innovative treatment combinations that could improve recovery outcomes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe for treating gambling addiction?

Previous studies have shown that contingency management (CM) is a promising and safe addition to treatments for gambling problems. Research indicates that CM effectively increases attendance at therapy sessions by offering rewards. This method has also proven helpful in other areas, such as reducing drug use, without major safety concerns. CM has been well-tolerated, with no serious side effects reported. Overall, CM appears to be a safe and effective way to enhance therapy for gambling addiction. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the use of Contingency Management for gambling addiction because it introduces a novel approach that rewards patients for attending therapy sessions and participating in recovery activities. Unlike traditional treatments that primarily focus on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address thoughts and emotions related to gambling, Contingency Management adds an incentive layer by offering gift card vouchers. This reward-based system aims to enhance treatment attendance and engagement, potentially increasing the effectiveness of standard care. By combining these approaches, there is hope for improved outcomes for those struggling with gambling addiction.

What evidence suggests that adding contingency management to cognitive behavioral therapy could be effective for gambling addiction?

Research has shown that contingency management (CM), one of the treatments in this trial, can improve treatment for gambling problems. Studies have found that CM keeps people engaged in their treatment by offering rewards for attending therapy sessions and participating in recovery activities. This method has also proven effective for other addictions, such as substance abuse, by increasing attendance and encouraging positive changes. Experts view CM as a promising way to enhance existing treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is another treatment arm in this trial. CBT helps change negative thoughts and behaviors. Overall, CM could make treatments for gambling disorders more successful by increasing commitment and participation. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals struggling with gambling disorders such as pathological gambling, gambling addiction, or compulsive gambling. Participants should be seeking treatment and are willing to attend regular therapy sessions.

Inclusion Criteria

Must be physically present in the US

Seeking treatment for gambling-related concerns at The Gambling Clinic

Proficient in English (assumed by request of gambling treatment in English)

Exclusion Criteria

Not physically present in the US

I am under 18 years old.

I have not had recent psychotic symptoms or thoughts of suicide.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with or without contingency management (CM) for 8 weeks. CM involves earning gift card vouchers for attending therapy sessions and recovery-related engagements.

8 weeks

Weekly therapy sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in gambling behavior, treatment engagement, and other clinical covariates at a 3-month follow-up.

3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Contingency Management

Trial Overview The study tests if giving rewards for attending cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions and engaging in recovery activities can improve treatment outcomes for those with a gambling disorder.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Contingency Management Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Contingency management is designed to reinforce treatment attendance. Participants will earn gift card vouchers for attendance to therapy sessions and recovery-related engagements with peer support specialists. This treatment is in addition to the standard care/ treatment as usual (cognitive behavioral therapy).

Group II: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment/ Treatment as Usual Active Control 1 Intervention

This five phase cognitive behavioral therapy addresses participants' behaviors, thoughts, and emotions to help them change their gambling.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

East Tennessee State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

23

Recruited

3,000+

Citations

1. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773021224000233

Contingency management for the treatment of harmful ... Contingency management (CM) is a behavioural intervention shown to be effective in improving retention and treatment outcomes for substance abuse disorders ( ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9778966/

Client Views of Contingency Management in Gambling ... This study sought to explore the views of clients about CM for the treatment of problematic and disordered gambling.

3. harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-022-00600-0

Gambling treatment service providers' views about ... The present study sought to explore United Kingdom (UK) gambling treatment providers' views of CM for treatment of problem gambling and gambling disorder.

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1536082/full

Short-term effectiveness of gambling treatment in the Daily ... The data suggest that treatment yields significant improvements in gambling-related consequences, attitudes, cognitive distortions, comorbid mental health ...

5. psycnet.apa.org psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-40256-001

Gambling treatment service providers' views about ... Background: There is a need to improve retention and outcomes for treatment of problem gambling and gambling disorder. Contingency management (CM) is a ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6166435/

A randomized trial of contingency management reinforcing ... Attendance-based CM increases treatment participation and reduces drug use, with beneficial effects noted when CM is delivered over longer durations.

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02613754

Adding Contingency Management to Treatment as Usual ... The aim of this study is to conduct a trial to investigate the efficacy of adding Contingency Management (CM) to Treatment as Usual (TAU) for the treatment of ...

8. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16066359.2023.2247978

ConGam-PS: developing and evaluating a measurement ... The present study developed items for a new scale, the Contingency Management for Gambling Provider Survey (ConGam-PS), to measure the views of gambling ...