ACT-Based Intervention for Problem Gambling

Efficacy of a Group Intervention Grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Address Problem Gambling in Youth: A Randomized Clinical 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

After being informed about the study, all patients giving written informed consent will be assessed to determine eligibility for study entry.

Patients who meet eligibility requirements will receive psychological intervention consisting in an 8-session group on line-delivered ACT-based treatment.

The participants will be assessed through self-report instruments before and after treatment and at 3 and 6 months follow-up.

The clinical trial will include a control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 25 years
• Score ≥ 3 on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)
• Comprehension of Spanish, online connection, and signed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• 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