The six-week residential programme began as a pilot in 2021.
UK.- A study of Gordon Moody’s women-only residential programme for gambling harm has concluded that almost half of those studied showed no gambling behaviours six months after treatment. The six-week residential programme was launched as a pilot in 2021 and rolled out fully last year.
The programme includes support before and after the residential component. As for the latter, the first week centres on assessment, followed by four weeks of treatment and a “wind-down” week. It includes recovery housing as a transition to return to independent life.
Co-authored by Dr Rosalind Baker-Frampton, evaluation and research lead at Gordon Moody and representatives from the University of Nottingham, the University of Lincoln and the National Addiction Centre, the study tracked 68 women who attended between November 2021 and November 2023.
On starting the programme, 64 of the women completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). A total of 54 women completed the PGSI at the end of treatment, 31 women three months later and 23 women six months later. All scored >8, the high-risk category, at the start. Six months after treatment, 47.8 per cent of those that completed the PGSI showed no gambling behaviours at all. Meanwhile, 13 per cent were classed as low risk. Some 21.7 per cent remained in the high-risk category.
The study also found that while 67.3 per cent of women presented with symptoms of depression at the start of treatment, according to Core-10 assessment, 39.1 per cent did so at the end. However, again, fewer women completed the survey after treatment.
The study noted that “women in particular may benefit from residential treatment as the encompassing nature of residential treatment, away from caregiving and other responsibilities, allows them the time and space to address trauma and learn coping strategies”.
Meanwhile, the gambling support charity GamCare is urging UK employers to ensure they provide options for support for staff vulnerable to gambling addiction amid the Euro 2024 tournament. It has suggested that workplaces should have safe spaces for workers to discuss any problems with gambling and should be able to direct staff to support services.
GamCare proposed a five-step plan for employers to adopt. It suggests having HR policies to provide open spaces to disclose gambling addiction in line with policies on drugs, alcohol or mental health issues. It suggests companies train line managers to support staff and direct them to services like the National Gambling Helpline and also create internal support networks to reduce stigma.
It suggests companies should be cautious when creating sweepstakes around Euro 2024 and should also be aware that gambling harm does not affect only the gambler.