Urge to Gamble in Problem Gamblers Exposed to a Casino Environment

Cue-reactivity has received increased attention in addiction research, though not for gambling in particular. We examined cue reactivity in 18 problem gamblers by accompanying them to a gaming casino and measuring their subjective urge to gamble over a 1-h period. Half of the sample was additionally exposed to a gambling-specific negative mood induction (NMI) manipulation via guided imagery. Overall, about two-thirds of the sample reported moderate to high-gambling urges during the casino exposure. Additionally, the NMI reduced cue-reactivity. Finally, gambling urges in both groups decreased over the course of the exposure sessions. These findings suggest that a majority of problem gamblers experience the urge to gamble when exposed to gambling cues and that the intensity of these urges decrease with time, especially in the presence of a gambling-relevant NMI. Cue exposure should be studied further as a potential tool in the treatment of problem gambling.     

Interdependency among addictive behaviours and time/risk preferences: Discrete choice model analysis of smoking, drinking, and gambling

This paper simultaneously measures the rate of time preference and the coefficient of risk aversion, as well as investigates the interdependencies of four addictive behaviours: smoking, drinking, pachinko (a popular Japanese form of pinball gambling), and horse betting among a sample of the Japanese population. We reach two main conclusions. First, there are significant interdependencies among the four addictive behaviours, in particular between smoking and drinking and between gambling on pachinko and the horses. Second, we conclude that the higher the time preference rate and the lower the risk aversion coefficient becomes, the more likely individuals smoke, drink frequently, and gamble on pachinko and the horses.     

Consumption and its discontents: addiction, identity and the problems of freedom

The focus of this paper is on the notion of 'addictive consumption', conceived as a set of discourses that are embedded within wider socio-historical processes of governance and control. It examines the discursive convergences and conflicts between practices of consumption and notions of addiction, which it notes are consistently represented in terms of the oppositional categories of self-control vs. compulsion and freedom vs. determinism. These interrelations are explored with reference to the development of notions of addiction, and their relation to shifting configurations of identity, subjectivity and governance. Finally, it suggests that the notion of 'addiction' has particular valence in advanced liberal societies, where an unprecedented emphasis on the values of freedom, autonomy and choice not only encourage the conditions for its proliferation into ever wider areas of social life, but also reveal deep tensions within the ideology of consumerism itself.     

青少年网络游戏成瘾问题剖析与对策

随着互联网的普及,网络游戏已经成为青少年的主要娱乐方式之一,网络游戏成瘾的青少年更是呈逐年上涨的趋势,给青少年的成长带来了巨大的影响。文章剖析了青少年网络游戏成瘾的原因,提出了解决青少年网络游戏成瘾问题的对策。     

From social workers to socio-therapists: the transformative journey of substance abuse therapists

ABSTRACT

The efficiency of interventions in addiction is associated with the processes of practitioners’ professional development. Identity formation is studied extensively for clinical professions but little research focuses on social workers working in addiction settings. This study examined the experience of social workers working in a community treatment network in Greece. Fifteen interviews were conducted with 11 women and 4 men, ranging between 29 and 47 years οf age, who worked in different centers within the network. Data were analyzed following the guidelines of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, offering in-depth examinations of people’s lived experience. The results delineate a series of transformations in professional identity comprising a process of biographization. The participants highlighted intrapersonal and relational factors that influence this process which leads to self-understanding and engagement with the therapeutic community. The results contribute to deciphering the factors that influence social workers’ experience in their professional identity formation in substance abuse treatment contexts.     

2012年江西省福利彩票彩民购彩行为特征调查报告

为了解江西省福彩彩民购彩行为特征及彩民群体成瘾倾向,本文采用横断面研究方法,使用自编福彩彩民购彩行为调查表和购彩成瘾自评问卷,在江西全省11个设区市400个福利彩票投注站随机收集4396名购彩者的资料,分析彩民一般人口统计学资料、彩民购彩行为特征、彩民对彩票机构的态度以及彩民成瘾倾向特点。结果显示,中年、已婚、受教育程度低和月收入低的男性更易购彩成瘾。购彩频率、购彩金额和每天花费时间均是购彩成瘾的重要表现,购彩成瘾倾向与彩龄无关。因此,江西省目前福利彩票行业发展健康,但彩票购买者中约2%有病态赌博倾向,需要引起高度重视。     

Integrating Art Therapy Methodology in Brief Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults

ABSTRACT

Decades of drug addiction research and clinical work have underscored the need for multifaceted and comprehensive treatment responses in order to sufficiently address the varied needs of individuals struggling with addiction. One valuable treatment component that can be incorporated into traditional treatment protocols to expand the comprehensive nature of treatment response is art therapy. A conceptual framework is presented, detailing the integrative opportunities and benefits of including an art therapy component to short-term hospital-based inpatient substance abuse treatment programs. A creative arts component can be particularly beneficial for brief inpatient programs, where the client population is diverse, in crisis, and at high-risk for relapse; and where clinicians need to obtain comprehensive client information from multiple sources in a short amount of time. Art therapy methodology can provide a mechanism for collecting such collateral information for assessment purposes, can be employed to facilitate therapeutic change, and is used to track and document client progress and clinical change over time. Practice guidelines and specific treatment techniques are presented through short case examples.     

Transactional sexual activity among university students: Prevalence and clinical correlates

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the prevalence and mental health correlates of transactional sexual activity (sex for compensation) in a university sample. Methods: A 156-item anonymous survey was distributed via random email generation to 9,449 university students. Results: The prevalence of transactional sex was 2.1%. Respondents who had sold sex (n?=?30) reported significantly higher rates of risky sexual behavior and mental health problems than those who had not sold sex (n?=?1,405). Conclusions: Transactional sex in our sample of university students was associated with a range of impulsive or compulsive behaviors that may affect students’ health and well-being.     

毒瘾艾滋病感染者的社会适应历程及影响因素

通过对毒瘾艾滋病感染者的深入访谈发现:他们的社会适应历程经历了权能激发、人际互动、问题解决以及评价反馈四个阶段,并受到个人特质、人际关系以及社会环境三方面的综合影响。建议通过优势视角肯定他们内在的智慧和蜕变能力,构建起"自我努力、家庭关爱、病友互助、社区接纳、社会支持、政府引导"的服务框架,最终促进他们的社会适应。     

Quality of Web-based Information on Pathological Gambling

The present study aims to evaluate the quality of web-based information on gambling and to investigate potential content quality indicators. The following key words: gambling, pathological gambling, excessive gambling, gambling problem and gambling addiction were entered into two popular search engines: Google and Yahoo. Websites were assessed with a standardized proforma designed to rate sites on the basis of “accountability”, “presentation”, “interactivity”, “readability” and “content quality”. “Health on the Net” (HON) quality label, and DISCERN scale scores aiding people without content expertise to assess quality of written health publication were used to verify their efficiency as quality indicators. Of the 200 links identified, 75 websites were included. The results of the study indicate low scores on each of the measures. A composite global score appeared as a good content quality indicator. While gambling-related education websites for patients are common, their global quality is poor. There is a need for useful evidence-based information about gambling on the web. As the phenomenon has greatly increased, it could be relevant for Internet sites to improve their content by using global score as a quality indicator.