Developing and Testing a Brief Intervention for Problem Gambling in Credit Counseling

NCT04064749 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: HP-00084892
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will implement a brief intervention with text messaging and will test its effectiveness in reducing gambling behavior and improving financial well-being among credit counseling clients who seek services. Financial counseling organizations provide a community-based environment for screening and brief intervention for gambling-related problems as gambling problems are fundamentally about financial losses. The study holds the promise of expanding brief interventions for gambling to individuals outside the health care system and in so doing, help those at-risk who do not present for formal treatment.

Conditions

Gambling Problem

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Brief Problem Gambling Screen

  The Brief Problem Gambling Screen is a 5-item screening measure ideal for assessing at-risk, problem, or pathological gamblers in both clinical settings and population research. Through yes/no questions, this scale employs three behavior items, one motivation item, and one consequences item with positive endorsement of one or more items indicating a problem with gambling.

  screener asked at baseline when individuals call in to Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maryland

• The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)

  The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) will be administered at baseline to estimate the level of lifetime gambling risk among participants in the study. Scores on the SOGS are determined by scoring one point for each question that shows the "at risk" response indicated and adding the total points. A score of 0 means No problem with gambling; scores of 1-4 indicate Some problems with gambling; and scores of 5 or more indicate Probable pathological gambler.

  baseline

• Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) - change is being assessed over time

  Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) measures self-rated gambling severity using 12 Likert scale items. The GSAS asks the respondent about a variety of gambling-related problems over a fairly brief recall period (one-week). The scale's response options range from none to extreme or constant. In scoring the GSAS each item is scored on a 5-point scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms). The total score ranges from 0 to 48 with higher scores indicating greater gambling problems.

  baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)

• The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale - change is being assessed over time

  The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale was developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and is a reliable and valid measure of perceived financial well-being. The measure contains ten Likert scale items with response options ranging from completely or always to not at all or never. This instrument will provide a precise estimate of financial well-being at each time point with lower scores indicating lower financial well-being.

  baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)

• Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale - change is being assessed over time

  The Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale is a three-item measure which assesses an individual's intent to seek help for a mental health problem. Response options range from extremely likely or strongly agree to extremely unlikely or strongly disagree.

  baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)

Study Arms (2)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will receive screening (i.e. services as usual) provided by a national credit counseling program.

Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive screening services provided by the credit counseling program plus added brief intervention services by University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW). Added intervention services include: 1) feedback about the individual's gambling, and 2) text messages to support the individual.

Behavioral: Text messages

Interventions

Text messages BEHAVIORAL

The brief intervention includes providing feedback on the individual's gambling score; providing an educational fact about the relationship between problem gambling and financial well-being; talking with the individual about the 'pros' and 'cons' of gambling with suggested strategies that could potentially reduce their gambling behaviors; and concluding with an action oriented closing question. Participants in the intervention group will also receive up to five text messages a week for one month.

Also known as: Brief intervention

Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• over age 18;
• can speak and understand English;
• called credit counseling program for services; and
• scored at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate

You may not qualify if:

• younger than 18
• cannot speak and understand English
• did not call credit counseling program for services; and
• did not score at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Maryland, Baltimore: lead
• National Center for Responsible Gaming: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Maryland Baltimore

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Crisis Intervention

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SCREENING
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: The Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model provides the underlying structure for the proposed brief intervention. SBIRT interventions utilize a combination of brief educational approaches (i.e., information about risks of use) combined with motivational interviewing techniques designed to enhance motivation to make a change in a target behavior.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 12, 2019
• First Posted: August 22, 2019
• Study Start: November 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 28, 2021
• Study Completion: December 31, 2023
• Last Updated: April 10, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)