Follow-Up Assessment

Chapter 10 presents a plan for follow-up sessions that should be held with the client in the months following the conclusion of the treatment program. These sessions will include assessments to measure progress that was made during treatment, and to ensure that progress is still being made.

Sessions 8–10

Chapter 7 discusses sessions eight to ten of the treatment program. These sessions explore erroneous cognitions that lead to gambling, the development of skills to challenging and casting doubt on these thoughts, and empowering the client to make decisions about their own gambling behaviours.

Sessions 11 & 12

Chapter 8 outlines treatment sessions 11 and 12, which focus on relapse. It aims to help the client understand that relapse is a normal process of a recovery progress, and teaches strategies that identify warning signs, and will help prevent slips or relapse. It also discusses actions to take in the case of relapse.

Session 1

Chapter 3 outlines the first session of the treatment program. This session focuses on the client’s motivation to change, and to clarify the goals they have for the treatment. The importance of daily monitoring and record-keeping is discussed.

Posttreatment Assessment

Chapter 9 outlines the posttreatment assessment that concludes the regular sessions of this treatment program. Tools and assessments such as the Diagnostic Interview for Pathological Gambling (DIPG) will be revisited in order to gauge progress that has been made.

Sessions 2 & 3

Chapter 4 outlines sessions two and three of the treatment program. These sessions discuss the chains of events and risky situations that lead to excessive gambling, and aims to increase the client’s awareness of these situations so that avoidance strategies can be developed. Problem solving is also explored, using a five-step model.

Introduction

Chapter 1 presents an introduction to both pathological gambling and the treatment program described in this guide. It outlines the diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling according to the DSM-IV-TR, the concepts and steps of this treatment program, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and how the workbook will be used to support the treatment program.

Sessions 5–7

Chapter 6 presents outlines for treatment sessions five to seven. It explores the differences between games of chance and games of skill, and aims to help the client become aware of their inner dialogue regarding gambling using the ABCD model, and the influence that this dialogue has on decisions to gamble. The client is encouraged to identify their own ‘gambling traps’.

Session 4

Chapter 5 discusses the fourth treatment session. This session focuses in detail on the client’s most recent gambling session, and aims to analyze the session by identify the erroneous thoughts that the client has before, during, and after gambling.

Pretreatment Assessment

Chapter 2 outlines the pretreatment assessment that will be undertaken before the treatment program starts. Assessments include the Diagnostic Interview for Pathological Gambling (DPIG), a self-efficacy questionnaire, and questions to help the therapist determine whether the client meets the criteria for pathological gambling.