Understanding and Treating the Pathological Gambler

Robert Ladouceur, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Laval University in Quebec City. After his doctoral studies, he completed post-doctoral fellow at Temple University in Philadelphia. His work on gambling is internationally known. His model focuses on the cognitive variables in the acquisition and maintenance of gambling behavior. In 1996, he received a research award from the national Council on Problem Gambling, recognizing the high quality of his work. Caroline Sylvain, hold a Ph.D. in psychology. Over the years she has presented many conferences and held workshops on the treatment on excessive gambling. Her doctoral thesis largely contributed towards the elaboration of the treatment development in this book. With her colleagues, she has developed a step-by-step treatment guide for excessive gamblers which is endorsed by Quebec Government.Claude Boutin has published and reviewed many articles and book chapters about excessive gambling for which his expertise has received worldwide acknowledgement. As an active researcher and psychologist, he was directly implicated in the development and application of the treatment presented in this book. He also contributed to the step-by-step treatment guide mentioned above.Celine Doucet is a clinician and psychologist who works in collaboration with the Center for Prevention and Treatment of Gambling in Montreal. As a researcher she conceived and participated in the treatment presented here. She also offers therapy for gamblers and their significant others. With her colleagues, she currently gives many training sessions about excessive gambling. She also contributed to the step-by-step treatment guide mentioned above.

• Introduction: The History and Psychology of Gambling Etiology and treatment of Problem Gambling: The Different Approaches Assessing the Gambler The Fundamental Principles of Gambling: Independence of Turns Treatment of the Excessive Gambler: The Cognitive Approach Treatment of the Excessive Gambler: The Behavioural Approach Relapse Prevention Difficulties Related to the treatment: How to Overcome Them Appendix 1: The South Oaks Gambling Screen Appendix 2: Diagnostic Interview for Pathological Gambling