Effectiveness of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group intervention in reducing gambling-related craving.

Abstract:

Mindfulness practices focus on increasing awareness and developing acceptance and compassionate attitudes. Mindfulness-based interventions have been suggested as a promising approach for the treatment of behavioral addictions involving automatic behavioral patterns, gambling-related cognitions, drive for gambling and craving. This study compares the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention with a mutual-aid group intervention, the standard intervention provided in pathological gamblers’ associations, in reducing gambling-related craving. A repeated-measures design was used involving 33 participants who first attended a mutual-aid group intervention and then received an 8-week MBCT training. The participants’ levels of mindfulness and craving (intensity, frequency and urge) were assessed before and after both interventions (T1, T2, and T3). The follow-up measures were performed one (T4), three (T5) and six months (T6) after the MBCT training. The results revealed that the mutual-aid group intervention produced only moderate reductions in craving intensity (η2= 0.27). In contrast, the MBCT program significantly increased the scores of the mindfulness-related variables (η2 ranging from 0.84 to 0.99) and reduced the craving intensity (η2= 0.95), frequency (η2= 0.93) and urge (η2= 0.91). Overall, the mindfulness scores were maintained at high levels, whereas the craving-related scores were low at the end of the MBCT

Año de publicación:

2020

Keywords:

Fuente:

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