NCT03493399

Brief Summary

Gambling craving is involved in the development, maintenance and relapse of gambling disorder. Yet, it lacks research regarding evidence-based interventions available to mitigate craving in patients displaying gambling disorder. The elaborated intrusion theory of desire (EIT) is a cognitive model of craving which offers important avenues for the development of psychological interventions, as it clearly describes the processes at play in craving experiences (e.g., mental imageries, working memory). Recent research evidenced that the elaborated intrusion theory is relevant to account for gambling craving experiences. According to this model, craving (and desire) is the result of an elaboration process where "desires thoughts" (mental images and thoughts), induced by internal (e.g., frustration) and/or external (e.g., advertisement) triggers, require attentional and cognitive resources. The principle of interference-based techniques is to move the resources allocated to the elaboration of intrusive desire thoughts to a competing task (e.g., clay modelling, competitive mental imagery, Tetris) in order to monopolize the resources underlying craving, thus preventing its elaboration and reducing its vividness and overwhelming nature. Several studies have shown the efficacy of such techniques to reduce substance-related craving. Yet, data obtained on clinical samples remain scarce. Preliminary data have been obtained prior to this application. In order to investigate the relevance of interference-based techniques, an experimental study was conducted in community gamblers. In two conditions (19 gamblers per condition), gambling craving was first induced via a short mental imagery session and a computer-generated gambling simulation task. Then, the experimental group was asked to perform an interference task consisting of creating a vivid mental image of a bunch of keys. The control group completed a task in which they had to pop and count bubble wrap. The analyses revealed that induced craving decreases significantly in both groups. However, participants that are considered problem gamblers showed a greater decrease of their craving in the experimental condition. This previous "proof of principle" study supports that interference-based techniques are potentially promising interventions to reduce craving in problem gambling. It also warrants further research as no data is available in clinical population. The current project consists in a pilot study aiming to test the efficacy of interference-based techniques in a sample of gambling disorder patients. The investigators decided to adopt a multiple single case design, as this methodology is ideal in the sense that it helps to understand the whole process of an interference-based intervention among a small number (10) of outpatients with a gambling disorder, without control group. Ecological Momentary Assessment will be used to allow intervention no naturally occuring craving. In addition to be easily implementable in a clinical design, this design will provide sufficient evidences before possibly, in a second time, further validation of these techniques using a randomized-control trial.

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
7

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jul 2019

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

March 23, 2018

Completed
18 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 10, 2018

Completed
1.2 years until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 1, 2019

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

October 30, 2019

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

October 30, 2019

Completed
Last Updated

June 28, 2019

Status Verified

June 1, 2019

Enrollment Period

4 months

First QC Date

March 23, 2018

Last Update Submit

June 27, 2019

Conditions

Gambling DisorderGambling, PathologicalCravingGamblingGambling Problem

Keywords

GamblingCravingUrgeDesireInterferenceElaborated Intrusion TheoryTreatmentInterventionClinical SampleSingle case

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Gambling Craving Strength

    Self-reported Questionnaire: gambling Craving Experience Questionnaire Strength (g-CEQ-S; Cornil et al., in prep) with 9 items rated on a Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). It is divided in 3 subscales of 3 items each: intensity, imagery, intrusiveness.

    6 months

  • Gambling Craving Frequency

    Self-reported Questionnaire: gambling Craving Experience Questionnaire Frequency (g-CEQ-F; Cornil et al., in prep) with 9 items rated on a Likert scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (constantly). It is divided in 3 subscales of 3 items each: intensity, imagery, intrusiveness.

    6 months

Study Arms (1)

Problem Gamblers

EXPERIMENTAL

Interference

Behavioral: Interference

Interventions

InterferenceBEHAVIORAL

The principle of interference-based techniques is to move the resources allocated to the elaboration of intrusive desire thoughts to a competing task (e.g., clay modelling, competitive mental imagery, Tetris) in order to monopolize the resources underlying craving, thus preventing its elaboration and reducing its vividness and overwhelming nature. Several studies (Andrade, Pears, May, \& Kavanagh, 2012; May, Andrade, Panabokke, \& Kavanagh, 2010; Skorka-Brown, Andrade, Whalley, \& May, 2015) have shown the efficacy of such techniques to reduce substance-related craving. Yet, data obtained on clinical samples remain scarce. Due to the flexibility of the single case design towards each participant, the list of interference-based techniques that will be used in this study cannot be exhaustive. However, the following will be proposed to participants: Tetris (smartphone version), manipulation of a bunch of keys, manipulation of a fidget, mental imagery, reading and memorizing a text.

Problem Gamblers

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Outpatients from CJE
  • In therapy for a Gambling Disorder
  • French speaking
  • Signifiant gambling cravings (clinically assessed)
  • Sign an inform consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Comorbidities (psychosis, acute manic phase, acute depressive phase, suicidal phase, mental retardation, alcohol intoxication or other psychic state incompatible with the study)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Centre du Jeu Excessif

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland

Location

Related Publications (7)

  • Young MM, Wohl MJ. The Gambling Craving Scale: Psychometric validation and behavioral outcomes. Psychol Addict Behav. 2009 Sep;23(3):512-22. doi: 10.1037/a0015043.

    PMID: 19769435BACKGROUND

  • Kavanagh DJ, Andrade J, May J. Imaginary relish and exquisite torture: the elaborated intrusion theory of desire. Psychol Rev. 2005 Apr;112(2):446-67. doi: 10.1037/0033-295X.112.2.446.

    PMID: 15783293BACKGROUND

  • Cornil, A., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Devos, G., de Timary, P., Goudriaan, A. E., & Billieux, J. (2018). Exploring gambling craving through the elaborated intrusion theory of desire: a mixed methods approach. International Gambling Studies, 18(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2017.1368686

    BACKGROUND

  • May J, Andrade J, Panabokke N, Kavanagh D. Visuospatial tasks suppress craving for cigarettes. Behav Res Ther. 2010 Jun;48(6):476-85. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.02.001. Epub 2010 Feb 7.

    PMID: 20189549RESULT

  • Andrade J, Pears S, May J, Kavanagh DJ. Use of a clay modeling task to reduce chocolate craving. Appetite. 2012 Jun;58(3):955-63. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.02.044. Epub 2012 Feb 24.

    PMID: 22369958RESULT

  • Skorka-Brown J, Andrade J, Whalley B, May J. Playing Tetris decreases drug and other cravings in real world settings. Addict Behav. 2015 Dec;51:165-70. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.07.020. Epub 2015 Jul 26.

    PMID: 26275843RESULT

  • Cornil, A., & Billieux, J. (2017). OP-15. Using interference-based intervention to block gambling craving: A proof of principle study. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6 (Suppl.1), 9.

    RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Gambling

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Risk-TakingBehaviorDisruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct DisordersMental Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Aurélien Cornil

CONTACT

+3210478737aurelien.cornil@uclouvain.be

Olivier Simon

CONTACT

olivier.simon@chuv.ch

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
SEQUENTIAL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Main Collaborator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

March 23, 2018

First Posted

April 10, 2018

Study Start

July 1, 2019

Primary Completion

October 30, 2019

Study Completion

October 30, 2019

Last Updated

June 28, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-06

Locations

CH(1)