Pharmacotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy enhance follow-up treatment duration in gambling disorder patients

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of subjects (n = 758)

	No-pharmacotherapy (n = 477)	Pharmacotherapy (n = 281)	Statistical value	p
Demographic characteristics
Sex (male %)	450 (94.5)	267 (95.0)	0.85^a	0.388
Age	40.40 ± 10.27	38.24 ± 9.23	2.98^b	0.003**
Age of onset	30.74 ± 8.92	28.29 ± 7.15	8.10^b	<0.001**
With partner (or married)	307 (63.1)	166 (59.1)	2.11^a	0.162
Education (years)	14.14 ± 2.58	13.93 ± 2.54	1.06^b	0.289
Religion	196 (44.2)	127 (45.2)	0.91^a	0.350
Gambling characteristics
Type of main gambling
Strategic	245 (51.4)	146 (52.0)	2.21^a	0.332
Nonstrategic	90 (18.9)	42 (14.9)
Mixed	142 (29.8)	93 (33.1)
Gambling debt at the first visit ($)	130,470 ± 434,212	102,872 ± 187,295	0.96^b	0.338
Big win ($)	250,692 ± 1,241,680	44,351 ± 128,800	1.77^b	0.078
BDI	10.82 ± 10.66	16.89 ± 11.07	−5.26^b	<0.001**
BAI	16.75 ± 9.68	22.24 ± 9.96	−5.27^b	<0.001**
GSAS	12.88 ± 9.59	19.01 ± 11.55	−5.36^b	<0.001**
Intervention
Group CBT	68 (14.3)	53 (18.9)	2.70^a	0.102
Participation in GA	106 (25.4)	80 (28.5)	3.13^a	0.091
Follow-up duration (months)	5.53 ± 12.37	13.03 ± 20.35	−5.58	<0.001**

BDI Beck Depression Inventory, BAI Beck Anxiety Inventory, GSAS Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale, CBT cognitive behavioral therapy, GA gamblers anonymous
^aFischer’s exact test (or Chi-square test): Data are shown as the number of patients (%), statistical value = Pearson’s Chi square
^bIndependent t test: Data are shown as mean ± standard deviation, statistical value = t
** p < 0.01
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ISSN: 1744-859X