ARCHIVES

Prevention of Problem Gambling
August 1999, Vol II, Issue 8

*A Monthly Newsletter on Problem Gambling Prevention Information, Research, and Initiatives*

"No progress has ever been made against an epidemic by treating only the casualties."

EARLY INTERVETION: PREVENTION STRATEGY #6

Early intervention is the final strategy in this series. What is often confusing about this prevention strategy is how to determine when an intervention is a prevention strategy and when it is an intervention strategy. The language itself can be confusing!

We think of human service activity as being on a continuum of prevention, intervention, treatment and aftercare. As with all continuums, the boundaries between one discipline and the next are not always clearly drawn. Such is the case in early intervention strategies.

Since prevention itself connotes activities that "come before" (the actual origin of the word prevention), early intervention prevention strategies are not aimed at specific existing symptoms, but rather at individuals and communities that are known to be at high risk. For example, one might wish to offer purposeful prevention of problem gambling activities to student athletes, knowing that this group is at high risk for gambling problems. If activities are aimed at student athletes that have already exhibited some gambling-related problems, this would be an intervention rather than prevention strategy.

Other examples of gambling early intervention strategies would include:

An information and support group for those with addictions other than gambling
Information and skill building strategies developed for ADHD children

Similarly, offering a support group for children of compulsive gamblers would be an example of an early intervention prevention strategy. Offering a group for children of compulsive gamblers who have exhibited some problem gambling symptomatology would be an intervention strategy.

The line between a prevention and an intervention strategy is still being debated. Recent trends such as health maintenance organizations espousing "clinical prevention services" and the Institute of Medicine's inclusion of individuals with early symptomatology in prevention programs indicates that different disciplines tend to define the boundaries differently. May still view intervention, treatment, and aftercare as involving more than symptom reduction and believe that through education and skill building, symptom exacerbation and the development of new symptoms can be "prevented." While intervention, treatment and aftercare round out the continuum of care, it is important to clarify that these are not prevention strategies.

Invitations to our Readers: Are you involved with, or know of, prevention programs in the field of problem gambling? We hope to highlight these efforts in future editions. If you are in the process of developing prevention-related strategies, we are available for consultation and technical assistance. Do you have a question in the area of prevention that we can respond to in this Newsletter? To respond to these invitations, please contact Dawn at the CCPG - Telephone: 203-453-0138 or E-Mail: ccpg@snet.net.

Local Problem Gambling Helplines

CT 800-346-6238
MA 800-426-1234
RI 877-9-GAMBLE
VT 888-822-8274