Interference-based methods to mitigate gambling craving: a proof-of-principle pilot study

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Serval ID
serval:BIB_DBF4F0A5B4F0
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Interference-based methods to mitigate gambling craving: a proof-of-principle pilot study
Journal
International Gambling Studies
Author(s)
Cornil Aurélien, Rothen Stéphane, De Timary Philippe, Billieux Joël
ISSN
1445-9795
1479-4276
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
21
Number
3
Pages
426-449
Language
english
Abstract
Craving is central in the prognosis of gambling disorder. The elaborated intrusion theory (EIT) provides a sound framework to account for craving in addictive disorders, and interference methods inspired from the EIT have substantiated their effectiveness in mitigating substance and food-related cravings. The principle of these methods is to recruit the cognitive resources underlying craving (e.g., visuospatial skills, mental imagery) for another competitive and cognitively demanding task, thus reducing the vividness and overwhelming nature of craving. Here we conducted two experiments employing a between-subjects design to test the efficacy of interference methods for reducing laboratory-induced craving. In these experiments, gamblers (n = 38 for both experiments) first followed a craving induction procedure. They then performed either a visuospatial interference task (making a mental and vivid image of a bunch of keys [experiment 1] or playing the video game Tetris [experiment 2]; experimental conditions) or another task supposed not to recruit visuospatial skills and mental imagery (exploding bubble pack [experiment 1] or counting backwards [experiment 2]; control conditions). Results show that all methods successively mitigated induced craving. Although previous research evidenced the superiority of visuospatial tasks to reduce substance-related craving, our findings question their superiority in the context of gambling craving.
Keywords
Gambling, Craving, Interference, Elaborated Intrusion Theory, Gambling Disorder, Problem Gambling
Open Access
Yes
Create date
31/03/2021 7:41
Last modification date
21/11/2022 8:22
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