Gambling ProblemNCT04064749
Developing and Testing a Brief Intervention for Problem Gambling in Credit Counseling
A study testing Text messages in people with Gambling Problem, run by University of Maryland, Baltimore at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will implement a brief intervention with text messaging and will test its effectiveness in reducing gambling behavior and improving financial well-being among credit counseling clients who seek services. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Gambling Problem
- What is being tested?
- Text messages
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 45 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2019to 31 Dec 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- over age 18;
- can speak and understand English;
- called credit counseling program for services; and
- scored at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate
Who cannot join
- younger than 18
- cannot speak and understand English
- did not call credit counseling program for services; and
- did not score at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
About this study
This study will implement a brief intervention with text messaging and will test its effectiveness in reducing gambling behavior and improving financial well-being among credit counseling clients who seek services.
Financial counseling organizations provide a community-based environment for screening and brief intervention for gambling-related problems as gambling problems are fundamentally about financial losses. The study holds the promise of expanding brief interventions for gambling to individuals outside the health care system and in so doing, help those at-risk who do not present for formal treatment.
Read the detailed description
The randomized control trial is designed to test the effectiveness of a unique brief intervention for at-risk gambling within a national financial counseling organization. Individuals who call the program for credit counseling and financial support will be asked a brief screen for problem gambling by a trained financial advocate (i.e. credit counselor). Individuals who are eligible for the study will be provided with information about the study by their financial advocate and asked if they would be willing to have a researcher at University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) contact them to tell them more about information about the study and review informed consent.
If the person wants to learn more about the study, a member of the research team at UMSSW will contact the individual, who will review the informed consent with the individual and answer questions. After obtaining their consent, the researcher will randomize the individual to either Group 1 (control) or Group 2 (intervention). A randomization matrix will be prepopulated in advance so that the researcher will assign the individual based on the next group assignment. If the individual is randomly assigned to Group 1, the researcher will proceed by asking the baseline/Time 1 interview questions. They will not receive any additional intervention.
If the individual is randomly assigned to Group 2, the researcher will proceed by providing the brief intervention. The brief intervention includes providing feedback on the individual's gambling score; providing an educational fact about the relationship between problem gambling and financial well-being; talking with the individual about the 'pros' and 'cons' of gambling with suggested strategies that could potentially reduce their gambling behaviors; and concluding with an action oriented closing question. Following the intervention, the researcher will then administer the baseline/Time 1 structured interview questions.
For individuals who are assigned to the intervention group, they will also receive text messages. The researchers will send text messages via pre-programmed, automated mode to the client. Participants will receive up to five messages a week, and messages will be delivered at times when gambling may be higher, such as weekend afternoons and evenings. Text messages will be sent following baseline for one month, through the end of T2 (30-day post screening).
Individuals who agree to participate in the study and who are randomized to either group (control or intervention) will complete three phone interviews by phone that inquire about gambling behaviors, financial well-being, and mental health-seeking behavior. Phone interviews will be administered at baseline (Time 1), 30 days (Time 2), and 90 days (Time 3) following consent. The credit counseling program will also provide data from their initial evaluation and screening from their records on individuals who take part in the intervention (e.g., sociodemographic variables, financial information about assets and debt, and the results of the gambling screen).
- Conditions
- Gambling Problem
- Being tested
- Text messages
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Text messagesBehavioural
Also called Brief intervention
The brief intervention includes providing feedback on the individual's gambling score; providing an educational fact about the relationship between problem gambling and financial well-being; talking with the individual about the 'pros' and 'cons' of gambling with suggested strategies that could potentially reduce their gambling behaviors; and concluding with an action oriented closing question. Participants in the intervention group will also receive up to five text messages a week for one month.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | Participants will receive screening (i.e. services as usual) provided by a national credit counseling program. |
| Intervention | Experimental | Participants will receive screening services provided by the credit counseling program plus added brief intervention services by University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW). Added intervention services include: 1) feedback about the individual's gambling, and 2) text messages to support the individual. Receives: Behavioral: Text messages |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Brief Problem Gambling Screen
The Brief Problem Gambling Screen is a 5-item screening measure ideal for assessing at-risk, problem, or pathological gamblers in both clinical settings and population research. Through yes/no questions, this scale employs three behavior items, one motivation item, and one consequences item with positive endorsement of one or more items indicating a problem with gambling.
Measured: screener asked at baseline when individuals call in to Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maryland
The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)
The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) will be administered at baseline to estimate the level of lifetime gambling risk among participants in the study. Scores on the SOGS are determined by scoring one point for each question that shows the "at risk" response indicated and adding the total points. A score of 0 means No problem with gambling; scores of 1-4 indicate Some problems with gambling; and scores of 5 or more indicate Probable pathological gambler.
Measured: baseline
Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) - change is being assessed over time
Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) measures self-rated gambling severity using 12 Likert scale items. The GSAS asks the respondent about a variety of gambling-related problems over a fairly brief recall period (one-week). The scale's response options range from none to extreme or constant. In scoring the GSAS each item is scored on a 5-point scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms). The total score ranges from 0 to 48 with higher scores indicating greater gambling problems.
Measured: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale - change is being assessed over time
The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale was developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and is a reliable and valid measure of perceived financial well-being. The measure contains ten Likert scale items with response options ranging from completely or always to not at all or never. This instrument will provide a precise estimate of financial well-being at each time point with lower scores indicating lower financial well-being.
Measured: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale - change is being assessed over time
The Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale is a three-item measure which assesses an individual's intent to seek help for a mental health problem. Response options range from extremely likely or strongly agree to extremely unlikely or strongly disagree.
Measured: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Aug 2019
- Study start1 Nov 2019
- Primary completion28 Aug 2021
- Study completion31 Dec 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Gambling ProblemStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model provides the underlying structure for the proposed brief intervention. SBIRT interventions utilize a combination of brief educational approaches (i.e., information about risks of use) combined with motivational interviewing techniques designed to enhance motivation to make a change in a target behavior.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Center for Responsible Gaming
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jodi Jacobson Frey, University of Maryland, Baltimore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04064749
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HP-00084892
- Status last verified
- Apr 2024
- First submitted
- 12 Aug 2019
- Last updated
- 10 Apr 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Apr 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Developing and Testing a Brief Intervention for Problem Gambling in Credit Counseling
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04064749
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HP-00084892
- Conditions
- Gambling Problem
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 45 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Maryland, BaltimoreUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Center for Responsible Gaming
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will implement a brief intervention with text messaging and will test its effectiveness in reducing gambling behavior and improving financial well-being among credit counseling clients who seek services.
Financial counseling organizations provide a community-based environment for screening and brief intervention for gambling-related problems as gambling problems are fundamentally about financial losses. The study holds the promise of expanding brief interventions for gambling to individuals outside the health care system and in so doing, help those at-risk who do not present for formal treatment.
Detailed description
The randomized control trial is designed to test the effectiveness of a unique brief intervention for at-risk gambling within a national financial counseling organization. Individuals who call the program for credit counseling and financial support will be asked a brief screen for problem gambling by a trained financial advocate (i.e. credit counselor). Individuals who are eligible for the study will be provided with information about the study by their financial advocate and asked if they would be willing to have a researcher at University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) contact them to tell them more about information about the study and review informed consent.
If the person wants to learn more about the study, a member of the research team at UMSSW will contact the individual, who will review the informed consent with the individual and answer questions. After obtaining their consent, the researcher will randomize the individual to either Group 1 (control) or Group 2 (intervention). A randomization matrix will be prepopulated in advance so that the researcher will assign the individual based on the next group assignment. If the individual is randomly assigned to Group 1, the researcher will proceed by asking the baseline/Time 1 interview questions. They will not receive any additional intervention.
If the individual is randomly assigned to Group 2, the researcher will proceed by providing the brief intervention. The brief intervention includes providing feedback on the individual's gambling score; providing an educational fact about the relationship between problem gambling and financial well-being; talking with the individual about the 'pros' and 'cons' of gambling with suggested strategies that could potentially reduce their gambling behaviors; and concluding with an action oriented closing question. Following the intervention, the researcher will then administer the baseline/Time 1 structured interview questions.
For individuals who are assigned to the intervention group, they will also receive text messages. The researchers will send text messages via pre-programmed, automated mode to the client. Participants will receive up to five messages a week, and messages will be delivered at times when gambling may be higher, such as weekend afternoons and evenings. Text messages will be sent following baseline for one month, through the end of T2 (30-day post screening).
Individuals who agree to participate in the study and who are randomized to either group (control or intervention) will complete three phone interviews by phone that inquire about gambling behaviors, financial well-being, and mental health-seeking behavior. Phone interviews will be administered at baseline (Time 1), 30 days (Time 2), and 90 days (Time 3) following consent. The credit counseling program will also provide data from their initial evaluation and screening from their records on individuals who take part in the intervention (e.g., sociodemographic variables, financial information about assets and debt, and the results of the gambling screen).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model provides the underlying structure for the proposed brief intervention. SBIRT interventions utilize a combination of brief educational approaches (i.e., information about risks of use) combined with motivational interviewing techniques designed to enhance motivation to make a change in a target behavior.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –Participants will receive screening (i.e. services as usual) provided by a national credit counseling program. |
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Text messagesParticipants will receive screening services provided by the credit counseling program plus added brief intervention services by University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW). Added intervention services include: 1) feedback about the individual's gambling, and 2) text messages to support the individual. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- over age 18;
- can speak and understand English;
- called credit counseling program for services; and
- scored at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- younger than 18
- cannot speak and understand English
- did not call credit counseling program for services; and
- did not score at risk for problem gambling on the questions asked by the financial advocate
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Text messagesAlso: Brief interventionThe brief intervention includes providing feedback on the individual's gambling score; providing an educational fact about the relationship between problem gambling and financial well-being; talking with the individual about the 'pros' and 'cons' of gambling with suggested strategies that could potentially reduce their gambling behaviors; and concluding with an action oriented closing question. Participants in the intervention group will also receive up to five text messages a week for one month. | Behavioural | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Brief Problem Gambling Screen
Time frame: screener asked at baseline when individuals call in to Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maryland
The Brief Problem Gambling Screen is a 5-item screening measure ideal for assessing at-risk, problem, or pathological gamblers in both clinical settings and population research. Through yes/no questions, this scale employs three behavior items, one motivation item, and one consequences item with positive endorsement of one or more items indicating a problem with gambling.
The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)
Time frame: baseline
The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) will be administered at baseline to estimate the level of lifetime gambling risk among participants in the study. Scores on the SOGS are determined by scoring one point for each question that shows the "at risk" response indicated and adding the total points. A score of 0 means No problem with gambling; scores of 1-4 indicate Some problems with gambling; and scores of 5 or more indicate Probable pathological gambler.
Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) - change is being assessed over time
Time frame: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
Gambling Symptoms Assessment Scale (GSAS) measures self-rated gambling severity using 12 Likert scale items. The GSAS asks the respondent about a variety of gambling-related problems over a fairly brief recall period (one-week). The scale's response options range from none to extreme or constant. In scoring the GSAS each item is scored on a 5-point scale from 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (extreme symptoms). The total score ranges from 0 to 48 with higher scores indicating greater gambling problems.
The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale - change is being assessed over time
Time frame: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
The Financial Well-Being Assessment Scale was developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and is a reliable and valid measure of perceived financial well-being. The measure contains ten Likert scale items with response options ranging from completely or always to not at all or never. This instrument will provide a precise estimate of financial well-being at each time point with lower scores indicating lower financial well-being.
Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale - change is being assessed over time
Time frame: baseline, Time 2 (30 days post randomization), Time 3 (90 days post randomization)
The Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale is a three-item measure which assesses an individual's intent to seek help for a mental health problem. Response options range from extremely likely or strongly agree to extremely unlikely or strongly disagree.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Apr 2024.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Text messages in people with Gambling Problem, run by University of Maryland, Baltimore at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Apr 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Brief Problem Gambling Screen (time frame: screener asked at baseline when individuals call in to Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maryland). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Apr 2024.