A proof of concept for using brief Dialectical Behavior Therapy as a treatment for problem gambling

<span style="font-size: 12px;">Fourteen ‘treatment resistant’ problem gamblers received 9 weeks of Dialectical </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">Behavior Therapy (DBT) at specialist problem gambling services delivered in Melbourne, </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">Australia. This study is the first to investigate the effectiveness of a brief </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">DBT treatment for problem gambling, with a focus on measuring change in the </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">four DBT process skills (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion dysregulation, </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">and negative relationships). Although there were no statistically significant improvements </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">in measures of gambling behaviour, 83% of participants were abstinent </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">or reduced their gambling expenditure pre- to post-treatment. Participants also reported </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">statistically and clinically significant improvements in psychological distress,  </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">mindfulness, and distress tolerance. Moreover, there were no increases in alcohol </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">or substance use. These results are discussed in the context of focusing on a single </span><span style="font-size: 12px;">DBT process skill, and the benefits of using group-based approaches.</span>