%0 Journal Article
%T [Pathological gambling: a clinical and therapeutic-evolutive study of a group of pathologic gamblers]
%J Actas luso-espanolas de neurologia, psiquiatria y ciencias afines
%D 1992
%A Saiz Ruiz, J.
%A Moreno Oliver, I.
%A López-Ibor Aliño, J. J.
%V 20
%N 4
%P 189-197
%X Gambling dependence or pathological gambling is a psychiatric disorder, recognised as such by the North American Psychiatric Association since 1980. Since 1981 we are carrying out a treatment program for patients who suffer from pathological gambling at the Psychiatric Service of "Ramón y Cajal" Hospital. There is an individualized treatment for each patient and their inclusion in group therapy discussions. We present a descriptive study of the most representative socio-demographic, clinical and therapeutic-evolutive data of 46 patients following treatment in our program. All fulfill the diagnostic criteria of DSM III-R for pathological gambling. They were 37 males and 9 females, with an average age of 39 years. More than half of the patients (58%) were consumers of alcoholic beverages; the drug consumption index found was 4% and practically they all were smokers (87%). The excessive drinking and pathological gambling incidence found among family were 35% and 20% respectively. Our therapeutic results support the idea that pathological gambling is a treatable disorder. After an average of two years following treatment 46% of our patients stopped or notably reduced its impulse to gamble. The high incidence of alcohol or drugs consumption among pathological gamblers and their families suggest a biological and psychological relationship between pathological gambling and the classical addictive disorders.<p /><p>Language: es</p>
%G es
%I Grupo Ars XXI de Comunicacion, SA
%@ 0300-5062
%U http://dx.doi.org/