ACT-Based Intervention for Problem Gambling
ConditionProblem Gambling
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-25
SponsorUniversidad Europea de Madrid
About this trial
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to study if Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective to treat Problem Gambling in young adults.The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does ACT therapy improve health and gambling behavior? * Are the clinical improvements of youth with gambling disorder receiving ACT-based intervention significantly greater than the clinical improvements of youth with gambling disorder on the waiting list?
Researchers will assess whether changes in health, gambling behavior, and other psychological variables are observed after eight weeks of therapy.
Participants will:
* Attend weekly online group sessions for 8 weeks * Learn new tools that they will put into practice after the sessions * Be required to complete evaluation questionnaires before and after the intervention and at the 3- and 6-month follow-up
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age between 18 and 25 years
Score ≥ 3 on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)
Comprehension of Spanish, online connection, and signed consent
Disqualifiers
In active psychological or pharmacological treatment for gambling disorder
Having received ACT-based psychological treatment in the last 6 months
Problematic substance use: CAGE Adapted to Include Drugs Questionnaire (CAGE-AID) score ≥ 3
Difficulty consistently attending online sessions
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
BehavioralAcceptance and Commitment Therapy methods were focused on promoting Values clarification, Acceptance, Cognitive defusion, Committed action and Flexible attention to the present moment, and included methods such as the Garden Metaphor or defusion training.
Treatment groups
72 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: ACT groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Waiting listNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)
The PGSI is a 9-item, 4-point Likert-format self-report scale (0 = never, 3 = almost always) that assesses the severity of problem gambling. Scores range from 0 to 27. A score of 8 or higher is considered indicative of problem gambling. Higher scores indicate greater severity of the disorder.
Time frame
Change from Baseline severity of problem gambling at 8 monthsSecondary outcomes
1
Change in Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-28)
he DERS-28 is a 28-item questionnaire with a 5-point Likert format (1 = almost never, 5 = almost always) that assesses difficulties in emotion regulation. It consists of six subscales: emotional nonacceptance, difficulty achieving goals, impulsivity, emotional awareness, limited strategies, and emotional clarity. Higher scores indicate greater difficulties in emotional regulation and worse clinical outcomes.
Time frame
Change from Baseline emotion regulation at 8 months2
Change in General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)
The GHQ-12 is a 12-item self-report questionnaire designed to detect general psychological symptoms. It is answered on a 4-point Likert-type scale. Higher scores reflect greater psychological distress and poorer perceived general health.
Time frame
Change from Baseline psychological distress and perceived general health at 8 months3
Change in the Comprehensive ACT Process Assessment Questionnaire (CompACT)
The CompACT is a 23-item, 7-point Likert-format scale (0 = not at all true, 6 = completely true) that assesses psychological flexibility, a core process of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It includes three subscales: openness to experience, awareness, and committed action. Higher scores reflect greater psychological flexibility.
Time frame
Change from Baseline psychological flexibility at 8 months4
Change in Values Living Questionnaire (VLQ)
The Valued Living Questionnaire assesses the degree of perceived importance and consistency of action directed toward personal values in 10 life domains (family, work, health, leisure, etc.). Each item is scored from 1 to 10. A composite index of discrepancy between importance and action is calculated. Higher scores indicate less value-behavior alignment.
Time frame
Change from Baseline value-behavior alignment at 8 monthsSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: