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Pathological GamblingNCT05051085

Feasibility of the Internet-delivered Treatment "SpilleFri" for Patients With Pathological Gambling

A study testing Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri". in people with Pathological Gambling, run by Anna Westh Stenbro at 1 site in Denmark.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This uncontrolled feasibility pilot study explores the feasibility of a 10 week, 8-module, therapist-assisted, internet-delivered treatment program, "SpilleFri", for patients with Pathological Gambling. The study includes 25-30 participants aged 18-60 fulfilling diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling (ICD-10). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 years
Conditions the study is for
Pathological Gambling
What is being tested?
Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri".
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
24 participants
Where
1 siteDenmark
Study dates
1 Sep 2021to 1 Apr 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Meet the diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling (ICD-10)
  • Able to read, wright, and speak Danish to a degree that enables interaction with the Danish internet treatment program, SpilleFri
  • IT skills and access to internet and computer/tablet
  • Willingness to participate in an internet-delivered psychological treatment program for Pathological Gambling

Who cannot join

  • Current moderate or severe psychiatric disorder that demands special, individualized treatment, or clinical suspicion hereof, e.g. treatment-demanding depression, personality disorder, psychotic symptoms
  • Untreated ADHD, ADD, or cognitive deficits that will most likely inhibit the patient from being able to read, understand, and work relatively independently in the SpilleFri internet program.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Denmark1 site
  • Research Clinic on Gambling Disorder (Forskningsklinikken for Ludomani), Funktionelle Lidelser, Aarhus University Hospital

    Aarhus, 8000

Other trials in Denmark

About this study

Official title: "SpilleFri" - an Internet-delivered Treatment for Patients With Pathological Gambling. A Feasibility Pilot Study

This uncontrolled feasibility pilot study explores the feasibility of a 10 week, 8-module, therapist-assisted, internet-delivered treatment program, "SpilleFri", for patients with Pathological Gambling. The study includes 25-30 participants aged 18-60 fulfilling diagnostic criteria for Pathological Gambling (ICD-10). The focus of the feasibility trial is evaluation of treatment response, treatment satisfaction, program utility, recruitment and retention rates, data completion rates, and time requirement. The primary feasibility criterion is 60 % of participants included in the study completing the treatment program.

Read the detailed description

"SpilleFri" - an Internet-delivered Treatment for Patients with Pathological Gambling. A Feasibility Pilot Study

Lisbeth Frostholm \& Anna Stenbro

Objective

The objective of this uncontrolled pilot study is to test the feasibility of a future RCT by exploring the feasibility of an internet-delivered treatment program, "SpilleFri", for patients with Pathological Gambling. The focus of the feasibility trial is evaluation of treatment response, treatment satisfaction, program utility, recruitment and retention rates, data completion rates, and time requirement. The primary feasibility criterion is an a priori defined change in patient-rated gambling problems from before to after treatment.

Design

This study is designed as an uncontrolled, single-arm, single-center feasibility pilot study.

Participants

The study includes 25-30 participants included from September 2021 to March 2022. The participants are recruited from The Research Clinic on Gambling Disorder, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Patients with Pathological Gambling are screened for eligibility by the eligibility criteria below. They undergo thorough diagnostic assessment by an authorized psychologist including diagnostic interview (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry).

Intervention

"SpilleFri" is a newly developed internet-delivered therapist-assisted treatment program for patients with Pathological Gambling. The 8 modules contain text, video files with psychoeducation, guided exercises, and videos with former patients. During a period of 10 weeks, patients are guided through the program modules assisted by a trained psychologist.

Course

If eligible and willing to participate, patients are included in the pilot study and assigned to a therapist (a trained psychologist from The Research Clinic on Gambling Disorder). Patients are contacted by telephone by the therapist and guided to login to the program platform and initiate treatment. The therapist follows the patient through the 8 treatment modules and provides guidance when needed. Patients and therapists primarily communicate through asynchronously written messages. If deemed necessary by the therapist, up to four consultations (telephone-/video-based or with physical attendance at the clinic) may be offered to enhance patient motivation and/or treatment adherence and effect. Treatment duration is 10 weeks.

Measurements

Patient-rated outcome measures are collected through a web-based program at the time of screening (before inclusion) (T1), before treatment (T2), and at end of treatment (T3). Between 6 and 12 patients will be interviewed during and post treatment to assess patient experience and satisfaction with the treatment program.

Clinician ratings are collected at the time of diagnostic assessment and at end of treatment.

Measurements also include logged data from the "SpilleFri"-treatment internet program, e.g. regarding patient activity in the program and number of messages to/from therapist pr. patient.

Feasibility outcomes

  1. Recruitment and retention rates, time requirements and data completeness as measured by the rate of eligible patients willing to participate, the rate of included patients completing the treatment program (defined as completion of at least 5 modules), therapists' time spent per patient, and the rate of treatment completers providing full data
  2. Patients' impression of treatment effect as measured by the clinical global improvement scale (CGI_p)
  3. Patients' treatment satisfaction and assessment of program utility as measured by the credibility/expectancy questionnaire and a purpose designed patient satisfaction questionnaire
  4. Therapists' impression of treatment effect as measured by the clinical global improvement scale (CGI_c).
  5. Changes in patient-rated gambling problems from before to after the treatment measured by the NODS

Feasibility criteria

The investigators regard a future study testing the treatment program "SpilleFri" in an RCT as feasible if:

  1. 60 % of the patients included in the study complete the treatment program (defined as completion of at least 5 of 8 modules)
  2. 70 % of treatment completers provide data for primary gambling outcome variable (NODS)
Being tested
Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri".
Medical subject headings
Gambling

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri".Behavioural

    The guided internet program consists of 8 modules over a period of 10 weeks. The content is written psychoeducation, videos with patients and experts, and exercises (encouraging reflection, cognitive restructuring, and exposure). The program is therapist-guided; hence all patients will receive support primarily from a specific therapist during the 10 weeks.

Study groups in NCT05051085
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri".ExperimentalAll participants receive the internet-delivered therapist-assisted 8-modules treatment program "SpilleFri".
Receives: Behavioral: Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri".

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Feasibility: Recruitment and retention rate

    Data will be gathered throughout the study to assess feasibility, defined herein as the extent to which the intervention can be successfully delivered.

    Primary feasibility outcome is recruitment and retention rate, collected through clinic records and therapist report in web-based questionnaire.

    Measured: Weekly during the intervention, up to 14 weeks

Secondary outcomes (12)
  1. Feasibility: Contact with therapist pr. patient

    Collected through therapist report in web-based questionnaire and logged data from the treatment program "SpilleFri".

    Measured: Weekly during the intervention, up to 14 weeks

  2. Feasibility: Patient activity in treatment program (log-in time and duration, yielding total minutes spend in treatment program)

    Collected through logged data from the treatment program "SpilleFri"

    Measured: Weekly during the intervention, up to 14 weeks

  3. Treatment expectancy and satisfaction

    Measured by the credibility/expectancy questionnaire. 6 items rated on a 1-9 or a 0%-100% scale, depending upon the item. The scale yields a mean expectancy score, ranging from maximum 100 % to minimum 0 %. Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program

    Measured: Immediately after inclusion in treatment. Before first treatment session

  4. Treatment expectancy and satisfaction

    Measured by the credibility/expectancy questionnaire. 6 items rated on a 1-9 or a 0%-100% scale, depending upon the item. The scale yields a mean satisfaction score, ranging from maximum 100 % to minimum 0 %. Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program

    Measured: Immediately after the intervention

  5. Clinician experience of treatment

    Qualitative and quantivative description of individual treatment courses including items measuring patient work effort, motivational barriers, amount of therapist quidance needed, and therapists' overall experience and satisfaction with working with the treatment program. Collected through questionnaire in web-based program.

    Measured: Immediately after the intervention

  6. Gambling problems past month, change

    Measured by Danish translation of The National Opinion Research Center Screen for Gambling Problems (NODS). 17 items with a maximum score of 10 (indicating a high level of gambling problems) and a minimum score of 0. Self-report measure collected through a web-based questionnaire program. For the purpose of the study, the NODS is modified to assess the last month instead of the last year.

    New versions of two NODS items are added, due to extensive clinical experience with two original NODS items being consistently misunderstood by patients (item 3 and 8).

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the intervention

  7. Gambling behavior past week, change

    Purpose-made questionnaire with 6 items assessing present sense of control over gambling, gambling craving, motivation to stop gambling, and gambling behavior past week (including frequency, time spent, money spent, money won/lost). Self-report measure collected through a web-based questionnaire program. Each item is interpreted individually, yielding an indication of e.g. motivation to stop gambling ranging from 0 (low) to 2 (very high). Gambling frequency, money spent, and time spent is measured in respectively times pr. week, hours pr. week, Danish kroner pr. week)

    Measured: Baseline (pre inclusion in treatment), post inclusion (before first session) and immediately after the intervention

  8. Psychological well-being, change

    Measured on the Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), a 5 item scale with a maximum score of 100 (indicating best imaginable well-being) and a minimum score of 0. Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the intervention

  9. Stress, change

    Measured on two items from a stress assessment questionnaire developed by the Danish Health Authority ("Stress blandt unge", 2017). Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the intervention

  10. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, change

    Measured by 13 relevant subscores of the 92-item Danish version of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-92). All items are rated on 5point scales. Maximum and minimum scores for the items are respectively 20 and 4 for anxiety, 30 and 6 for depression, and 40 and 8 for general distress. Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the intervention

  11. Overall health improvement

    Measured by the 5-point clinical global improvement scale (CGI). The CGI is measured by self-report (CGI_p) and by clinician rating (CGI_c). 1 item assessing overall improvement or worsening on a 5-point scale with a maximum score of 5 and a minimum score of 1. Self-report measure collected throguh a web-based questionnaire program.

    Measured: Immediately after the intervention

  12. Patient quality of life, change

    Measured on a 1 item, 11 point scale, where 10 indicates "the best possible life" and 0 indicates "the worst possible life". The scale is adapted from the Danish questionnaire "Ungdomsprofilen" from University of Southern Denmark. Self-report collected through a web-based questionnaire program.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted21 Sep 2021
  2. Study start1 Sep 2021
  3. Primary completion1 Apr 2022
  4. Study completion1 Apr 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Model description
Single Group Assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
24 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05051085
Sponsor's protocol ID
1-10-72-1-21
Status last verified
Jul 2022
First submitted
27 Aug 2021
Last updated
20 Jul 2022
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be made available to other researchers.

Publications

  • Stenbro AW, Moldt S, Eriksen JW, Frostholm L. "I was Treated by the Program, the Therapist, and Myself": Feasibility of an Internet-Based Treatment Program for Gambling Disorder. J Gambl Stud. 2023 Dec;39(4):1885-1907. doi: 10.1007/s10899-023-10199-x. Epub 2023 Mar 31.

    PubMed 37000310

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Internet-delivered treatment: "SpilleFri". in people with Pathological Gambling, run by Anna Westh Stenbro at 1 site in Denmark.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jul 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Denmark. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Feasibility: Recruitment and retention rate (time frame: Weekly during the intervention, up to 14 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05051085, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jul 2022.

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