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Auld Lang Syne

From 1996 through 2009, the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) supported a vibrant research and education program at the Division on Addictions. This program has supported many of our gambling-related journal articles, a productive extramural research agenda, as well as well-known public education efforts, such as The WAGER and the Las Vegas conference on Gambling and Addiction. During the past decade, the scientific field of gambling studies enjoyed unparalleled growth, advancing the science and treatment of gambling-related disorders. This growth would not have been possible without the support of NCRG and its various donors. As we approach the end of this year and the end of this relationship, the faculty and staff of the Division on Addictions extend thanks to everyone at the NCRG for their support and wish the NCRG well with all its new endeavors. In particular, we want to extend special thanks to Frank Fahrenkopf, Judy Patterson, Christine Reilly, and the board of the NCRG. Their support and their vision have contributed significantly to the state of gambling studies and the treatment of gambling related disorders around the world. This was a remarkable social experiment that showed the value of a private public partnership to advance science.

Report of the Task Force on College Gambling Policies

Dr. Howard Shaffer and his colleagues at the Division on Addiction published a study that examined college alcohol and gambling policies (Shaffer, Donato, Labrie, Kidman, & Laplante, 2005). This study reported that, although 100% of college sample reported having alcohol policies, only 22 percent of U.S. colleges and universities reported having a gambling policy. During 2008 and with the financial support of the National Center for Responsible Gaming, Dr. Shaffer and his colleagues at the Division on Addictions identified, invited, and convened a national taskforce representative of US colleges. The purpose of this taskforce was to create a template for developing and implementing science-based college gambling policies. Now, the Division on Addictions is proud to announce that the Taskforce on College Gambling Policies has completed its work and has released its recommendations for college gambling policies. With this report, we intend these recommendations to help prevent college-based excessive gambling and drinking, and promote recovery from gambling addiction and related disorders.

Members of the taskforce are administrative and academic professionals representing universities and colleges from all U.S. geographic regions and both private and public schools. They represent student life, student health services, student counseling, athletics, as well as academic departments focused on counseling and gambling research. The following schools, each of which already has a policy on gambling, are represented on the task force:

• University of Alabama

• Bridgewater State College

• University of Denver

• George Fox University

• Harvard University

• Lehigh University

• Mississippi State University

• University of Missouri, Columbia

• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• University of Nevada, Reno

• Oregon State University

• Villanova University

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Executive Summary.

For the Full Report, please visit the report section of the Library & Archives page.

Reference Cited

Shaffer, H. J., Donato, A. N., Labrie, R. A., Kidman, R. C., & Laplante, D. A. (2005). The epidemiology of college alcohol and gambling policies [Electronic Version]. Journal of Harm Reduction, 2, 20. Retrieved Feb 9, from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=549515&blobtype=pdf

The Division on Addictions Received Two NIAAA R03 Grants!

“DUI Offending: The Intersection of Criminality and Psychopathology”, PI’s: Dr. Sarah Nelson and Dr. Richard LaBrie, funded by NIAAA, Grant #: 5R03AA017516-01

A study of the relationship between the criminal history and psychiatric comorbidity of DUI (Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and/or other drugs) offenders has never been conducted. Information from a study of these two important DUI-risk factors is critical to revitalize efforts to combat DUI. High rates of psychiatric comorbidity suggest that it is likely that untreated psychopathology contributes to the persisting rate of DUI events, including DUI-risk behaviors (such as alcohol abuse or driving to drinking venues), offenses (both arrested and undetected), and fatalities. Criminal behavior is related to DUI-risk, to psychopathology and to treatment resistance.

The superordinate goal of this research effort is to establish effective evidence-based treatment that can prevent DUI relapse. The primary goal of the proposed research agenda is to advance this superordinate goal by examining the impact of psychiatric comorbidity, criminality, and the interaction between them on DUI relapse. This study will analyze a unique information base from a large group of repeat DUI offenders that includes their criminal histories before admission to a treatment program, extensive psychological assessments conducted during in-patient treatment, and criminal records post-treatment.

This primary goal will be achieved by meeting two specific aims. The first specific aim is to develop typologies of criminal behavior and psychiatric comorbidity that capture the heterogeneity of the DUI risk factors in the repeat DUI offender population. The second specific aim is to determine how these typologies, and specifically, the interaction between criminal behavior and psychiatric disorders, influence the likelihood of repeat DUI. A better understanding of what influences repeat DUI and what interferes with successful treatment can lead to improved interventions including both sentencing and treatment practices.
 

“Development and validation of an implicit measure of alcohol-related self-identity”, PI’s: Dr. Debi LaPlante and Dr. Heather Gray, funded by NIAAA, Grant #: 1RO3AA01782-01A1

Alcohol abuse is the greatest single contributor to morbidity and mortality among the college student population. The unchanging prevalence of alcohol abuse among college students in recent years, despite increasing prevention efforts, suggests the need for novel approaches to risk assessment. Most approaches to risk assessment for alcohol abuse among college students require college students to self-report about the antecedents of their drinking behavior. Such assessments present two main limitations: (1) they are relatively insensitive to implicit cognitive structures, which operate outside of conscious awareness; and (2) they are susceptible to students’ desires to present themselves in a positive light. This project will develop and validate a new risk assessment tool that is less susceptible to self-presentation desires and more sensitive to an important implicit construct, alcohol-related self-identity (i.e. the extent to which an individual thinks of himself or herself as a “drinker”). Evidence suggests that alcohol-related self-identity may be an important antecedent to risky drinking behavior. Therefore, the development of this tool will improve the ability to prospectively assess risky drinking behavior among college students, leading to more effective early intervention programs. Additional adaptations could easily extend this tool to clinical populations, improving treatment providers’ abilities to estimate for individual clients the likelihood of treatment success.

Joint research project extended for an additional five years: bwin Interactive Entertainment AG and Harvard Medical School Faculty at the Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance an affiliate of Harvard Medical School

The Division on Addictions has been working with bwin for the last three years setting new standards for the industry, developing and testing empirically-supported new responsible gaming initiatives, and providing customers with responsible gaming information and tools. This research has just been extended for another five years. The prime research objective is to establish a scientific evidence base that can guide the development of safe, recreational gaming environments and prevent the emergence of gaming-related problems as well as reduce any such problems that already exist.

This project involves using scientific evidence to create the safest possible online gaming environment by implementing the findings of the world's largest longitudinal study. The scientific studies analyzed the data of over 47,000 customers over a 36-month period, making it the largest longitudinal study of its kind worldwide. Because it relies on actual customer data and not self-reported results, the results are not influenced by customer recall or interpretation. The intention is to expand and enhance the responsible gaming activities into a systematic program of responsible gaming tools and applications.

Visit The Transparency Project website to download the "Actual Internet Sports Gambling Activity: February 2005 through September 2005" dataset, which describes the actual aggregated Internet sports gambling behavior of participants during the first eight months of the longitudinal study with bwin.

Indices of Exposure & Vulnerability for Predicting Alcohol-Related Problems

This project's aim is to develop indices of regional and personal exposure and vulnerability that can be used in the longitudinal study of determinants of early alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. We know little about the interaction between exposure and vulnerability and less about the relative influence of risk factors measured within different contexts (e.g., at regional, macro levels and personal, micro levels). The integration of models of risk and vulnerability at macro- and micro- levels can lead to deeper understanding of the interactions between risk factors and more effective treatment and prevention of alcohol-related problems. The research program will a) develop both regional and personal theoretical models that measure exposure to alcohol-using opportunities and vulnerability to early alcohol use and the development of alcohol-related problems; b) test those models and their ability to predict alcohol using behaviors in a longitudinal sample of adolescents; and c) use the findings from those tests to expand and refine the models.

St. Francis House Moving Ahead Program (MAP) Evaluation

The Division on Addictions has partnered with St. Francis House, a service center for people struggling with homelessness in the greater Boston area, to evaluate the instruments used to collect information from participants in its job- and life-skills training program, the Moving Ahead Program (MAP). The current evaluation project includes a descriptive and psychometric analysis of approximately 10 years of data on participants in MAP. Findings from these analyses will inform recommendations for both revising the intake, graduation, and follow-up tools used at MAP, and creating a complete computerized intake and assessment system for St. Francis House and its programs.

The Opioid Addiction and Family Project

The Opioid Addiction and Family Project is a new research study being conducted at Cambridge Health Alliance. The goal of this effort is to find out if adding family counseling to individual counseling and Naltrexone medication leads to better treatment outcomes for people struggling with opioid addiction. This study is funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Patients in the study are randomly assigned to receive either (a) naltrexone plus individual drug counseling without family counseling, or (b) naltrexone plus individual drug counseling with family counseling. Counseling and medication received as part of this study are free of charge. Each patient takes part in the study for 16 months - 4 months of treatment and 12 months follow-up. Study participants are needed. For more information, please visit our webpage at www.challiance.org/research/opioid.shtml or call (617) 591-6055.

Joint research initiative on multiracial identity and health: Harvard Medical School faculty at the Division on Addictions, Cambridge Health Alliance, University of Michigan, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas

The Division on Addictions is a founding member of a multi-university research initiative dedicated to examining the distribution and determinants of important addiction-related health behaviors among multi-racial/ethnic populations. Compared to monoracial majority and monoracial minority individuals, research shows that multiracial individuals are in greater danger of developing a number of risky health behaviors (e.g., underage drinking) and health disorders (e.g., depression) (Choi, et al.,2006; Shih & Sanchez, 2005). Two research projects addressing this issue will commence during the summer of 2007. First, we will collaborate with Dr. Margaret Shih of the University of Michigan on a secondary data analysis of the ADD Health longitudinal dataset to examine addiction-related behavior and social support among multiracial young adults. The Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars program at University of Michigan will provide support for this study. Second, we will collaborate with Dr. Shih and Dr. Bo Bernhard of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on a study that will examine addiction-related behavior among multiracial individuals in the rural and urban Southwest. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas President’s Research Award will provide support for this study.

How do gamblers start gambling: Identifying behavioral markers for high-risk Internet gambling

The European Journal of Public Health has published our study to identify the betting characteristics of Internet gamblers that can serve as behavioral markers to predict the development of gambling-related problems. Using 2- year longitudinal data, K-means clustering analysis identified a small subgroup of high-risk gamblers. Seventy-three percent of the members of this subgroup eventually closed their account due to gambling-related problems. The primary characteristics of this high-risk subgroup were as follows: (1) frequent and (2) intensive betting combined with (3) high variability across wager amount and (4) an increasing wager size during the first month of betting. This analysis provides important information that can help to identify potentially problematic gamblers during the early stages of Internet gambling. Public health workers can use these results to develop early intervention and prevention programs that target high-risk Internet gamblers. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Disordered gambling, type of gambling and gambling involvement in the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007

The Division has published a study which examined the relationships between types of gambling and disordered gambling, with and without controlling for gambling involvement (i.e., the number of types of games with which respondents were involved during the past 12 months). We completed a secondary data analysis of the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS), which collected data in England, Scotland, and Wales between September 2006 and March 2007. The sample included 9,003 residents, aged 16 or over, recruited from 10,144 randomly selected addresses. 5,832 households contributed at least one participant. Post-facto weighting to produce a nationally representative sample yielded 8,968 observations. The BGPS included four primary types of measures: participation in gambling (during the past 12 months and during the past 7 days), disordered gambling assessments, attitudes toward gambling, and descriptive information. We found that statistically controlling for gambling involvement substantially reduced or eliminated all statistically significant relationships between types of gambling and disordered gambling. This suggests to us that gambling involvement is an important predictor of disordered gambling status. Our analysis indicates that greater gambling involvement better characterizes disordered gambling than does any specific type of gambling. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Gambling problem symptom patterns and stability across individual and timeframe

Few studies investigate gambling problems at the symptom level; even fewer investigate how symptom patterns change throughout the course of a gambling disorder. A better understanding of PG symptom pattern stability is crucial for improving our knowledge about the nature and progression of PG, and has important implications for diagnosis and treatment. We used data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC: Grant et al., 2004) to investigate how the specific symptoms of disordered gambling relate to its severity and course. This study was the first to investigate gambling problem symptom patterns and stability using a nationally representative household sample.

Results demonstrated that (a) symptom patterns differ as number of symptoms endorsed increases, (b) symptom patterns vary considerably from one timeframe to another, (c) certain symptoms are more stable than others, and (d) certain symptoms hold particular predictive value as markers of emerging pathological gambling (PG). In particular, gambling to escape problems was one of the most stable symptoms and also predictive of progression to PG; reliance on others to support gambling was predictive of progression to PG among participants at-risk for PG. These results indicate that disordered gambling behavior is not particularly stable: symptom levels and profiles change from one timeframe to another.

The differential diagnostic value of various reported symptoms, as well as their lack of stability, has implications for both researchers and clinicians. Clinicians and diagnosticians need to devote some attention to the stability (or lack thereof) of the disorder and specific symptoms. Repeated assessments might be needed, as well as more focus on the progression of the disorder. Future research ought to expand these analyses using longitudinal data and investigate the utility of gated diagnostic schemes in identifying disordered gambling. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Towards DSM-V: "Shadow Syndrome" symptom patterns among pathological gamblers

We conducted this study to illustrate the potential of a symptom-based approach to nosological research compared to a traditional diagnostic level approach. The analysis of information from 43,093 individuals who participated in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions affirmed the prevalence of co-occurring sub-clinical symptom patterns (i.e., shadow syndromes) among people who satisfied DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for a current behavioral illness, pathological gambling. Most (58%) pathological gamblers reported current clusters of symptoms that were not directly related to gambling and associated with other diagnostic level classes (e.g., dysthymia, anxiety, phobias, etc.). The likelihood of PGs to report meaningful co-occurring sub-clinical symptoms that are associated with other diagnostic classes suggests that diagnostic classification should be complemented with an awareness of shadow symptoms. This research complements the work of Kessler et al. (2003), who demonstrated that mild symptom patters are related to treatment outcomes. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Persistence pays off: Follow-up methods for difficult-to-track longitudinal samples

Evolving privacy and confidentiality regulations make achieving high completion rates in longitudinal studies challenging. This paper reports on the effectiveness of methods to maximize completion rates in a longitudinal study of repeat driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offenders. We attempted to follow-up with 704 participants of a licensed residential treatment facility for repeat DUI offenders. To locate participants and complete follow-up interviews, we obtained baseline information, contacted collaterals, sent mailed reminders, searched Internet databases, and gave a monetary incentive for completing study interviews. We completed interviews with 488 participants (70.1% of the entire eligible sample and 80.3% of those with active telephone numbers), after an average of 8.6 (SD = 9.1) calls (median = 5.0). Increasing the number of calls continued to yield additional completions until approximately 40 telephone calls. These results suggest that researchers need to employ more than 10 telephone calls to adequately track difficult-to-follow substance-using populations and prepare for a subsample of participants who might require more extensive contact. These results highlight the importance of using empirical guidelines to estimate the number of contacts needed to achieve an adequate follow-up completion rate. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Bipolar disorder as a risk factor for repeat DUI behavior

Our previous research with repeat DUI offenders has demonstrated elevated rates of psychiatric comorbidity in this population, particularly anxiety disorders, conduct disorder, and bipolar disorder. This paper investigates in more detail the manifestation of bipolar disorder in the repeat DUI offender population. Past studies of people with both bipolar disorder and substance use disorders have found high prevalence of other psychiatric disorders and relatively low rates of treatment engagement. This study, in which a consecutively selected cohort (N = 729) of repeat DUI offenders attending a two week inpatient treatment program completed a standardized diagnostic interview, examines both the prevalence of other mental disorders and treatment status among the offenders who qualified for both bipolar disorder and other substance use disorders. We found that: (1) bipolar disorder was associated with significantly higher lifetime prevalence of alcohol, drug, and non-substance psychiatric disorders (e.g., PTSD) in this population; (2) approximately one quarter of the offenders with bipolar disorder had not discussed their mania with a professional; and (3) only half of the offenders with bipolar disorder reported receiving mania treatment they considered effective and even fewer reported any treatment during the past twelve months. These findings suggest that clinicians in DUI treatment settings should consider both evaluating for bipolar disorder and initiating therapy. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Sitting at the virtual poker table: A prospective epidemiological study of actual Internet poker gambling behavior

Epidemiological analyses of Internet gambling are necessary to determine the potential for harm. This paper reports the results of the first prospective epidemiological study of actual Internet poker gambling behavior. Among our sample, we identified two subgroups of poker players. Approximately 95% of the sample bought a median of €12 worth of chips at each of two poker sessions per week during a median duration from first to last bet of six months. A smaller subgroup (i.e., 5%) of most involved poker players bought a median of €89 worth of chip at each of 10 sessions per week during a median duration from first to last bet of 18 months. Additional analyses presented in this paper regarding patterns of behavior suggest that the majority of Internet poker players moderated their behavior based on their wins and losses. A minority of most involved players did not show such moderation. These results have important implications for both gambling-and addiction-related research. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Virtual harm reduction efforts for Internet gambling: effects of deposit limits on actual Internet sports gambling behavior

In an attempt to reduce harm related to gambling problems, an Internet sports betting service provider, bwin Interactive Entertainment, AG (bwin), imposes limits on the amount of money that users can deposit into their online gambling accounts. We examined the effects of these limits on gambling behavior. Our findings indicate that Internet gamblers who exceed deposit limits constitute a group of bettors willing to take high risks; yet, surprisingly, they appear to do this rather successfully because their percentage of losses is lower than others in the sample. However, some of these gamblers exhibit some poor outcomes. Deposit limits might be necessary harm reduction measures to prevent the loss of extremely large amounts of money and cases of bankruptcy. This paper discusses how these limits might be modified based on its findings. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Population trends in Internet sports gambling

The Internet is a controversial new medium for gambling. This study presents the first longitudinal analysis of online gambling participation and activity among a population of newly subscribed Internet bettors. Our analyses indicate that this population of gamblers adapted to the new subscription service rapidly, as evidenced by quickly developing declines in population participation, number of bets, and size of stakes. Adaptation was not uniformly evident in our population. Among subgroups of heavily involved bettors, adaptation was generally slower or not apparent. Rather than adapt, involved bettors often maintained the high level of betting they escalated to in the days following subscription. This was particularly evident for one type of game: live-action betting. These involved individuals and the effect of live-action play require close scrutiny and ongoing examination. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Parameters for safer gambling behavior: Examining the empirical research

There have been claims that new gambling technology is hazardous to player health, and that technological interventions can alleviate gambling-related harm. In this paper, we systematically review the empirical research about the nexus between gambling and technology to evaluate the veracity of these claims using a public health perspective. A review of forty seven studies showed that attempts to develop and implement safety features for new gambling technology are promising, but methodologically rudimentary and limited in scope. Increased attention to the dynamic interaction among host, agent, and environment factors hold potential to advance the field. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Substance and psychiatric disorders among men and women repeat driving under the influence offenders who accept a treatment-sentencing option

Driving under the influence (DUI) continues to be a serious health public health concern in the United States. Research suggests that the substance use/abuse and psychiatric histories of repeat offenders might contribute to the persistence of this phenomenon. This study examined psychiatric and substance-use histories of male and female DUI repeat offenders in treatment. The authors found that male and female repeat DUI offenders have extensive but different psychiatric and substance-use histories that might play a significant role in DUI recidivism. These differences in psychiatric and substance-use histories among men and women could have important implications for treatment and prevention of DUI. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

Stability and progression of disordered gambling: lessons from longitudinal studies

Very few studies have examined the progression of disordered gambling in an individual or the tendency for individuals to stay at one diagnostic level, as opposed to getting better or worse. Nonetheless, conventional wisdom states that disordered gambling is a condition that is both escalating and unmanageable. The objective of this study was to examine these assumptions. In analyses of available longitudinal studies from the peer reviewed literature, LaPlante, et al found no evidence to support the assumption that individuals cannot recover from disordered gambling, no evidence to support the assumption that individuals who have more severe gambling problems are less likely to improve than individuals who have less severe gambling problems, and no evidence to support the assumption that individuals who have some gambling problems are more likely to worsen than individuals who do not have gambling problems. This review demonstrates instability and multidirectional courses in disordered gambling. Click here to visit the Library & Archives page.

The Division on Addictions is Offering a New Course: Research Methods for the Social Sciences

The Division on Addictions is offering a new seminar titled "Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introductory Course" through Cambridge Health Alliance's Department of Psychiatry. This course, which runs Tuesdays, January 19th through March 23rd, 2010, will provide an introduction to research methodology in the social sciences, presented within the context of the addictions. The course will be tailored to the participants, providing hands-on feedback for participants attempting to design their own research and/or providing an understanding of research methodology necessary for participants wishing to become critical consumers of research. (Click here for more information).

Ingrid Maurice named William J. Clinton Intern

Upon leaving office, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation with the dual missions of constructing and endowing the Clinton Presidential Center and Park in Little Rock, Arkansas and continuing the work of his presidency to strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence. We are pleased to announce that Ingrid Maurice, a Research Coordinator at the Division on Addictions since 2007, has been awarded an Internship at the William J. Clinton Foundation. Ingrid will be completing her internship at the United Nations in New York, working with the UN Special Envoy to Haiti.

During her time at the Division, one of Ingrid’s main responsibilities was to work with Dr. Sarah Nelson, in collaboration with Boston's Saint Francis House, to develop a new tracking and assessment instrument (LEAD). With other research coordinators, she also contributed articles to the Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS) and was a contributing author to a new and forthcoming Self-Help Workbook for people with gambling and co-occurring disorders.

Congratulations Ingrid! Ingrid will make meaningful contributions to her internship and will reflect great distinction upon the William J. Clinton Foundation internship program.

New Job Posting:

Research and Technology Associate

Visit our Job Opportunities page to learn more about this position.

The Transparency Project is Here!

The Transparency Project is the world's first data repository for privately funded research. 

Transparency Project Datasets:

Visit the Transparency Project website to download the newly added "Sitting at the Virtual Poker Table: February 2005 through February 2007" codebook and datasets.

These datasets provided the evidence base for research focusing on actual Internet poker gambling (LaPlante et al., 2009). These datasets derive from the collaborative Internet gambling research project between the Division on Addictions (DOA) and bwin Interactive Entertainment, AG (bwin), an Internet betting service provider headquartered in Vienna, Austria. These datasets provide evidence from twenty-four months of the prospective longitudinal, real-time, Internet poker-playing behavior.

The datasets contain raw and analytic data representing twenty-four months of aggregated betting behavior data for sequential bwin subscribers who opened an account with bwin during the period from February 1, 2005 through February 28, 2005. Of the full cohort, 4,459 elected to play poker online. Of these, we excluded 951 participants who played fewer than four poker sessions during the study period and 63 poker players who did not begin poker play until the last month of the study period. The resulting sample consists of the remaining 3,445 people who contributed data to the analyses reported in LaPlante et al. (2009). 

LaPlante, D. A., Kleschinsky, J., LaBrie, R. A., Nelson, S. E., & Shaffer, H. J. (2009). Sitting at the Virtual Poker Table: A Prospective Epidemiological Study of Actual Internet Poker Gambling Behavior. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(3). 711-717. (Password Protected)

Please click here to request the password.
 

The "Virtual Casino Gambling: February 2005 through February 2007 " codebook and datasets are also available for download.

These datasets provided evidence base for research focusing on actual Internet casino gambling (LaBrie et al., 2008). These datasets derive from the collaborative Internet gambling research project between the Division on Addictions (DOA) and bwin Interactive Entertainment, AG (bwin), an Internet betting service provider headquartered in Vienna, Austria. These datasets provide evidence from twenty-four months of the prospective longitudinal, real-time, Internet casino betting behavior.

The datasets contain raw and analytic data representing twenty four months of aggregated betting behavior data for 4222 sequential bwin Internet casino subscribers who opened an account with bwin during the period from February 1, 2005 through February 28, 2005. These subscribers had at least one non-zero betting activity during the study period (February 1, 2005 through January 31, 2007) and played more than 3 times during the study period. We excluded records that took place before the first pay-in date in the preparation of this dataset. The exclusion controlled for activities financed by promotional money that might not reflect the participants’ behavior when personal funds are at stake.

LaBrie R. A., Kaplan, S. A., LaPlante, D. A., Nelson, S. E., and Shaffer, H. J. (2008). Inside the virtual casino: A prospective longitudinal study of actual Internet casino gambling. European Journal of Public Health, 18(4), 410-416. (Password Protected)

Please click here to request the password.

The “Meta-analytic Prevalence Estimates of Disordered Gambling Behavior in the United States and Canada” codebook and datasets are also available for download.

This meta-analytic dataset extends the first comprehensive gambling related epidemiological meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Public Health in 1999 by Shaffer et al to update and refine the prevalence estimates of disordered gambling in the United States and Canada. This dataset employs an empirical strategy to synthesize estimates of gambling-related disorders across an array of differing estimation methodologies and population samples. This dataset provides the opportunity to evaluate and integrate the range of assumptions and strategies used by the various scientists who have estimated the prevalence of disordered gambling. This search strategy initially identified 193 prevalence studies and a total of 146 studies were included for analyses in this meta-analysis study.

The “Actual Internet Sports Gambling Activity: February 2005 through September 2005” codebook and datasets are also available for download.

The first available analytic dataset for the Transparency Project comes from the collaborative Internet gambling research project involving the Division on Addictions and bwin Interactive Entertainment, AG (bwin), an Internet betting service provider headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The dataset provides the first prospective longitudinal data reflecting real-time Internet sports betting behavior. It contains information from a large cohort of participants (N=40,499) who opened an account with bwin from February 1, 2005 through February 27, 2005. This dataset also describes the actual aggregated Internet sports gambling behavior of participants during the first 8 months of a longitudinal study that took place from February 1, 2005 through September 30, 2005. Original raw datasets are also available for download. These bwin Internet gambling datasets include the following participant information: demographic information (user ID, country of residence, language, gender, registration date, age at registration) and daily aggregated online betting activity (first active date, last active date, total days active, total stakes, total winnings, total bets).

The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Visited the Division on Addictions

Delegates from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in Hong Kong recently visited the Division on Addictions and other community programs. Their educational trip focused on pathological gambling, psychoactive substance abusers and victims of violence.   We would like to thank our colleagues from the Cambridge Health Alliance Victims of Violence Program; the Cambridge Health Alliance Outpatient Addiction Service; the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling; the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston; Transition House; the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and other local community organizations for their help and support hosting delegates from the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.

Distinguished Contributions

to the Study of Addiction

Timothy O’Farrell, Ph.D., A.B.P.P.

Dr. O’Farrell is Professor of Psychology in the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at the VA Boston Healthcare System where he directs the Families and Addiction Program and the Counseling for Alcoholics’ Marriages (CALM) Project. His work has examined behavioral couples therapy (BCT), which treats the substance abuse patient together with their spouse or domestic partner to support the patent’s abstinence and improve relationship functioning. Studies show that BCT produces greater abstinence, happier relationships, fewer separations, and greater reductions in social costs, domestic violence, and emotional problems of the couple’s children than typical individual-based treatment. BCT also improves compliance with recovery-related medications, including disulfiram for alcoholism and naltrexone for alcoholism and for opioid addiction.

His latest book Behavioral Couples Therapy for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse is a clinician’s guide to BCT. Virtually all reviews of research on addiction treatment, as well as government panels in the U.S. and the U.K., cite BCT as an empirically supported method that should be used by clinicians treating substance abuse. To learn more about BCT, see BCT clinical guidelines and book on BCT.

New Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education Online Course - Addiction in Your Practice: Information and Resources for Dealing with Addictive Behavior

Course Description: Psychiatric comorbidity, such as addictive behavior, is common in a variety of treatment settings, and has far-reaching consequences. Complications from addictive behavior can impede treatment progress, lead to additional problems, and increase the chance of treatment failure. Consequently, there recently has been increased demand on medical care workers who do not specialize in addiction (e.g., nurse practitioners, general practitioners, obstetricians, trauma specialists, etc.) to assess, intervene, and provide referrals for their patients who demonstrate addictive behavior. However, research suggests that many medical care providers lack addiction-related training and resources. The goals of this online course are to improve participants’ understanding of addiction and its influence on medical care. We will discuss the theoretical and clinical aspects of addictive behavior, as well as strategies for dealing with patients who demonstrate addictive behavior.

To learn more about the course, or to register, please click here.