The Gamblers Treatment Clinic of St. Vincent's North Richmond Community Mental Health Center: Characteristics of the Clients and Outcome of Treatment

Abstract

Data were analyzed from gamblers treated as outpatients: 128 for whom admission data were available and 88 for whom both admission and termination data were available. This group consisted mostly of White males. The average age of the clients was about 42 years. These clients were frequent and heavy bettors whose lives were deeply disrupted by gambling. The clients reported significantly less gambling at termination of treatment than they did at initiation. Improvements in social relations were reported at termination of treatment. There was some evidence that improvements in life-style were related to reports of less gambling at termination of treatment.