Lesson 1Motivation and readiness to change: stages of change, decisional balance, ambivalence explorationThis part looks at checking motivation and readiness to change, using stages of change, weighing decisions, and digging into mixed feelings to give fitting feedback, boost involvement, and plan the right strength and timing of interventions.
Applying stages of change to gambling behaviorUsing decisional balance to map pros and consExploring ambivalence with motivational skillsAssessing confidence, importance, and readinessAligning interventions with change stageLesson 2Assessment of cognitive distortions and beliefs: illusion of control, gambler’s fallacy, superstitions, entitlement beliefsThis part checks gambling-related wrong thinking, like illusion of control, gambler’s fallacy, superstitions, and entitlement beliefs, and connects these to risk-taking, sticking with losses, and chance of slipping back.
Screening for common gambling thinking errorsAssessing illusion of control and skill beliefsIdentifying gambler’s fallacy and near-miss biasExploring superstitions and magical thinkingEvaluating entitlement and rescue fantasiesLesson 3Risk assessment: suicidality, impulsivity, comorbid substance use, family violence, financial crisisThis part details structured risk checks for clients with gambling disorder, covering suicide thoughts, self-harm, rash actions, other substance use, family violence, and money crises, plus safety plans and referral paths.
Screening for suicidality and self-harm riskAssessing impulsivity and disinhibition factorsEvaluating substance use and intoxication riskIdentifying family violence and safeguarding needsAssessing financial crisis and urgent supportsLesson 4Cultural and family context: marital dynamics, parenting stressors, financial roles, religious or community beliefs about gamblingThis part explores cultural, family, and community settings that shape gambling behaviour, including marriage dynamics, parenting stress, money roles, stigma, and religious or community views, for culturally fitting assessment.
Mapping family structure and financial rolesAssessing marital conflict and trust erosionExploring parenting stress and caregiving strainUnderstanding cultural and religious views on gamblingAddressing stigma and community expectationsLesson 5Assessment of comorbidity and differential diagnosis: mood disorders, anxiety disorders, ADHD, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, impulse-control disordersThis part covers checking for other mental health issues and telling them apart, including mood, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar, personality, and impulse-control disorders, and spotting main from secondary gambling symptoms.
Screening for mood and anxiety disordersAssessing ADHD and executive dysfunctionIdentifying bipolar spectrum presentationsEvaluating personality and impulse-control issuesDistinguishing primary from secondary symptomsLesson 6Comprehensive clinical interview: gambling history, onset, frequency, triggers, financial and legal consequencesThis part explains how to do a full clinical interview on gambling, covering start, pattern, frequency, losses, triggers, chasing, and harms to money, law, work, and relationships for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Structuring the initial diagnostic interviewExploring onset, course, and escalation of gamblingAssessing frequency, duration, and preferred activitiesEvaluating financial, legal, and occupational harmsAssessing relationship and caregiving consequencesLesson 7Functional assessment of gambling episodes: antecedents, behaviors, consequences, reinforcement patternsThis part covers functional assessment of gambling episodes, mapping what comes before, actions, results, to spot reinforcement patterns, high-risk spots, and changeable factors for personal treatment plans.
Identifying internal and external antecedentsMapping gambling behaviors step by stepDocumenting short- and long-term consequencesAnalyzing positive and negative reinforcement cyclesUsing functional data to design interventionsLesson 8Collateral information and records: partner interview, financial statements, app/online betting logsThis part shows how to collect and understand extra info from partners, family, money records, and online betting data to confirm patterns, measure harm, and spot hiding or tricks affecting case planning.
Planning and obtaining informed consent for collateralPartner and family interviews about gambling impactReviewing bank, credit, and debt documentationAnalyzing betting apps, online logs, and statementsReconciling self-report with objective collateral dataLesson 9Standardized screening tools and measures: SOGS, PGSI, DSM-5 criteria checklist, NODS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT-CThis part reviews key standard screening and assessment tools for gambling and common other issues, like SOGS, PGSI, DSM-5 checklists, NODS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, and AUDIT-C, with tips on scoring and clinical use.
Selecting appropriate gambling screening toolsAdministering SOGS, PGSI, and NODSUsing DSM-5 criteria checklists in practiceScreening mood and anxiety with PHQ-9 and GAD-7Assessing alcohol risk with AUDIT-CLesson 10Sleep, trauma, and stress assessment: insomnia, trauma history, occupational stressors and shift work effectsThis part explains assessing sleep, trauma, and stress in folks with gambling disorder, including sleeplessness, past trauma, work stress, and shift work, and how they link to urges, relapse, and treatment response.
Screening for insomnia and sleep disruptionExploring trauma history and PTSD symptomsAssessing occupational stress and job strainEvaluating shift work and circadian disruptionLinking stress, sleep, and gambling relapse
