NCRG Welcomes Mark S. Gold, M.d., And David Takeuchi, Ph.d., To The NCRG Scientific Advisory Board

The National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) announced today that Mark S. Gold, M.D., and David Takeuchi, Ph.D., have joined the NCRG Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). These two distinguished researchers and professors will help to enhance the Scientific Advisory Board’s ability to ensure that the NCRG follows rigorous standards in awarding grants, monitor the work of the NCRG Centers of Excellence in Gambling Research and advise the NCRG on funding initiatives and educational activities. The NCRG is the only national organization devoted to funding peer-reviewed research on gambling disorders and creating public education initiatives to help increase the understanding of pathological and youth gambling and find effective treatment methods of gambling disorders and youth gambling.

Dr. Gold is the Donald Dizney Eminent Scholar, distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Prior to assuming the position as chair, he was a professor in the departments of psychiatry, community health and family medicine, neuroscience and anesthesiology. He is also a member of the McKnight Brain Institute. Dr. Gold is a researcher and inventor who has worked for nearly 40 years to develop models for understanding the effects of tobacco, cocaine and other drugs on the brain and behavior. His translational research models have led to new treatment approaches for those with addictions.

Dr. Takeuchi is the associate dean for research and a professor of sociology in the School of Social Work at the University of Washington. He is well-known for his research on social inequalities and health, and his research focuses on investigating the social structural and cultural contexts that are associated with different outcomes, especially among racial and ethnic minorities. Dr. Takeuchi was recently awarded the University of Washington’s Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award for his exceptional work with graduate students.

NCRG staff spoke about the board members with Linda Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., chairwoman of the NCRG Scientific Advisory Board and chair of the department of epidemiology at the College of Public Health and Health Professions at the University Of Florida College Of Medicine., and Glenn Christenson, chairman of the NCRG Board of Directors:

“I am very pleased to welcome Drs. Gold and Takeuchi to the NCRG’s Scientific Advisory Board,” said Cottler. “Their expertise in addiction and the role of psychiatry in community health settings will bring great insight to the board and an added depth to the research that the NCRG funds.”

“The work of the NCRG Scientific Advisory Board is vital to the life of the organization,” said Christenson. “Their knowledge of gambling disorders and addiction research, combined with their guidance in evaluating complex research designs, can truly help elevate the field of research on gambling disorders to a new level.”

For more information on how the NCRG funds research and the stringent firewalls in place to ensure the integrity of research projects, view the NCRG funding chart athttp://www.ncrg.org/assets/files/NCRG_Firewall_Chart_2011.PDF.

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Research Shows Continued Decline In Youth Gambling In Minnesota Students

What is the impact of Internet gambling and video games on young people? Are the rates of gambling and problem gambling in this population remaining stable or changing? Researchers Randy Stinchfield, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, and Marc Potenza, M.D., Ph.D., Yale University, will discuss this topic at the12thannual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction. Their session on Monday, October 3 is titled “What the Research Shows: The Latest on Teen Gambling” and will report on the latest research on youth gambling.

Regarding youth gambling, results from the Minnesota Student Survey suggest that the rates of youth gambling have declined from 1992 to 2007. According to Dr. Stinchfield’s (2011) study published inPsychology of Addictive Behaviors, an analysis of this survey suggests a decline in gambling behaviors among ninth and 12thgrade Minnesota public, charter and tribal school students. In an interview with the NCRG earlier this year, Dr. Stinchfield offered explanations for some of his findings.

To look at the changing patterns in youth gambling behaviors over the past 15 years, Dr. Stinchfield analyzed the data from this 126-question Minnesota Student Survey, which is administered by the Minnesota Department of Education and is given every three years to monitor many aspects of student demographics and life. This questionnaire includes six items addressing gambling behavior activity and frequency. In 2007, the survey collected its highest sample size of 83,260 male and female students.

Dr. Stinchfield’s study had two goals. First, he wanted to measure the 2007 rates of gambling frequency and underage gambling on legalized games. Second, he wanted to compare those rates to the longitudinal data collected since 1992. “This data confirms results from previous years that we see a growing segment of youth choosing not to gamble every year,” said Dr. Stinchfield.

While a majority of boys reported gambling in the past year (63 percent of ninth graders, 76 percent of 12thgraders), girls reported gambling less in the past year (30 percent of ninth graders, 49 percent of 12thgraders). More boys of both age groups were also more likely to report that they “frequently gambled” (monthly or daily) than girls, 19.2 percent to 4 percent, respectively.

The types of gambling activities shifted as children grew older. “Gambling in younger (9thgraders) kids is predominantly in informal games, while in older youth (12thgrade), it switches to more legalized and commercial games,” said Dr. Stinchfield.

When comparing the most recent data to results across the 15 year span, Stinchfield reports that there were “fewer students gambling in 2007 than in 1992.” However, rates of frequent gambling remained stable. Dr. Stinchfield analyzed gaming types including casinos, cards, lottery, skill games and sports betting and found that gambling rates were fairly stable for all. The only exception was a peak in 1998 for lottery play and in 2004 for card games. “The poker fad appears to have peaked in 2004 and has since faded in popularity,” said Dr. Stinchfield.

Youth gambling trends also showed a decline for various types of games from 1992 to 2007. Lottery play for boys declined from 43.2 percent in 1992 to 15.3 percent in 2007, and girls showed a decline from 38.4 percent in 1992 to 9 percent in 2007. Similarly, downward trends in underage casino play are shown in both genders from 1998 to 2007.

Beyond simply viewing a decrease in gaming activity, Dr. Stinchfield posed the more important question: What are some of the reasons that youth are not gambling? For Minnesota youth, Dr. Stinchfield gives two possible explanations. First, the novelty of gambling has possibly worn off. The state introduced lottery gambling and tribal casinos in 1990, and even though there are more than 3,000 state lottery retail outlets, 18 tribal casinos and two racetracks with card rooms, the “allure may have died down into a more normative pattern of gambling.”

Second, Dr. Stinchfield believes that gambling activity is “losing to other interests vying for their attention” such as social networking, video games and new technology. “Kids have a lot competing for their attention: iPods, Xbox, Wii games and more.”

Dr. Stinchfield believes that future studies should look at how those technological advances play into youth gambling behavior. “I want to understand what kids are betting on and the environment in which they’re placing bets,” said Stinchfield. “I want to know if they’re more likely to gamble on video games than a bowling game, or a real versus a virtual bowling game. We will see how the results translate.”

For more information on Dr. Randy Stinchfield or to register for the NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, visit theNCRG Conference website. You can alsodownload the full NCRG Conference brochureand learn about other sessions to attend from October 2-4 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

NCRG staffConference on Gambling and Addictionadolescentseducationgamblinggambling disordersNCRG Conferenceprogramsresearchschoolsunderage gamblingUniversity of MinnesotaYale Universityyouth gambling

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NCRG Partners To Bring Educational Curriculum To Middle And High School Students

As children across the country start back to school this fall, the NCRG is partnering with Young Minds Inspired (YMI) to create a new educational program titled “Know the Odds.” This resource will be used to encourage teachers and parents to help students understand the warning signs of problem gambling and the facts about underage gambling. The program was developed based on the NCRG’s brochure “Talking with Children about Gambling” and will be distributed to middle and high school students in 418 schools as they begin the school year.

“Know the Odds” arrived in schools on September 6 in three communities: Las Vegas, N.V., Atlantic City, N.J., and Biloxi, Miss. Training materials in the teacher’s kit include a program guide, classroom posters and handouts for students and parents that meet both national education standards and practical classroom needs. The NCRG’s brochure “Talking with Children about Gambling” also is included to help parents understand how to address underage gambling with their children. All materials are free of charge for the schools.

“The NCRG is excited about this partnership and the potential it holds for getting youth gambling information in the hands of parents, teachers and students,” said Glenn Christenson, chairman of the NCRG. “With an estimated 70 percent of Americans aged 14 to 19 years gambling in 2009, these issues need to be highlighted by educators and addressed by families to assist their children.”

“Talking with Children about Gambling” was developed in consultation with the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The publication provides a clear explanation of the warning signs for youth gambling and relevant approaches that parents can take to help their children and address the issue. To download a free copy of the brochure, visithttp://www.ncrg.org/public_education/talking-with-children.cfm.

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NCRG Conference Updates: Early Bird Registration Discount Ends September 12!

There is less than a week left to receive the early bird registration rate for the NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction! Register by September 12 to receive the low registration rate of $295 and join leaders in the healthcare sector, gaming industry, government and academia at this year’s event. You canregister onlineorprint and fax your registration formwith payment. There is also a discount on the pre-conference workshops withDr. Jon Grantand Dr. David Hodgins when you register by the early bird deadline.

Reserve your Hotel Room for the NCRG Conference Today!

As you may have already heard, the NCRG Conference will be co-locating with Global Gaming Expo at theSands Expo and Convention Centerat the Venetian Las Vegas. This move will provide NCRG Conference attendees with the convenience of having all three days of the conference in one location. The Venetian and The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino are pleased to offer conference attendees an exceptionally low rate of $162 per night (plus applicable taxes and fees) for their all-suite accommodations during the event.

To reserve your room for the NCRG Conference, visit theNCRG Conference hotel pagefor the reservation link and password. Reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be made by Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011 to receive the group rate. After Sept. 27, rooms and rates are subject to availability.

Get Conference Updates on Gambling Disorders 360˚

Keep followingGambling Disorders 360˚ as we get closer to the NCRG Conference to learn more about plenary speakers and featured conference sessions. Interviews will include those from leading experts in the field of gambling disorders, such as Dr. Ken Winters, director of the Center for Adolescence Substance Abuse and Research at the University of Minnesota. Gambling Disorders 360˚ will also give you a sneak peek book review ofiBrainby Dr. Gary Small and feature a guest post by various speakers for the conference.

Have a question about the 12thannual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction? Leave it in the comments below or contact Amy Martin, communications and outreach manager for the NCRG, atamartin@ncrg.orgor 202-552-2689.

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Can Gaming Employees Identify Gambling Problems In Their Customers?

Is it possible for gaming floor employees to tell the difference between their patrons who gamble responsibly and those who have a gambling disorder? A recently published Australian study that was featured in the August 10 edition ofThe WAGERobserved that while there are visible indicators of gambling problems (e.g. gambling for long periods of time, using ATMs, placing high risk bets and avoiding social contact), gaming venue staff are not very accurate in their estimation of who has a gambling problem and who does not (Delfabbro, Osborn, Nevile, Skelt, & McMillen, 2007; Schellinck & Schrans, 2004 and Delfabbro, Borgas, & King, 2011). Visible indicators (e.g. gambling for long periods of time, using ATMs, placing high risk bets and avoiding social contact) may not be the most reliable form of identifying problematic gambling behavior (Delfabbro, Osborn, Nevile, Skelt, & McMillen, 2007; Schellinck & Schrans, 2004). Future research is needed to lxead to better employee training that will help identify problematic gambling.

The researchers conducted a survey using the Problem Gambling Severity Index among 303 patrons in seven South Australian gambling venues and found that 40 percent were not at risk for problem gambling, 29 percent were at low risk, 22 percent were at moderate risk and 9 percent were classified as problem gamblers. However, when the venue staff rated the problem gambling status of the patrons they recognized (i.e., patrons they had seen at least once or twice in their venue), they reported the following when observing this sample:

– Trained employees made false negative ratings (i.e., believing that the patron was not a problem gambler when survey results showed that he/she was) for individuals who identified themselves as having problems (i.e., 64 percent).

– False negative ratings among trained employees were even higher when indicating those who self- identified as having low or moderate problems (i.e., 83 percent).

– Trained employees made a number of false positive ratings (i.e., believing that the patron was a problem gambler when survey results did not indicate that result) for individuals who identified themselves as being problem-free (i.e., 6 percent).

According toThe WAGER, “the results indicate that staff ratings were not a reliable indicator of gambling disorders among patrons. It is unclear whether these low ratings are the result of the training, or the difficulty of completing this task in real-time.”

References

Brick, J., & Erickson, C. K. (2009). Intoxication is not always visible: An unrecognized prevention challenge.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 33(9), 1489–1507. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.00979.x

Delfabbro, P., Borgas, M., & King, D. (2011). Venue staff knowledge of their patrons’ gambling and problem gambling.Journal of Gambling Studies, Online First. doi: 10.1007/s10899-011-9252-2

Delfabbro, P., Osborn, A., Nevile, M., Skelt, & McMillen, J. (2007). Identifying Problem Gamblers in Gaming Venues: Final Report. Melbourne, AU: Gambling Research Australia.

Schellinck, T., & Schrans, T. (2004). Identifying problem gamblers at the gambling venue: Finding combinations of high confident.Gambling Research, 16(1), 8-24.

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NCRG Updates Research &Amp; Resources And Publishes The Sixth Volume Of The Monograph Series

The NCRG is excited to announce the release of two publications: an updated version ofResearch & Resources: A Guide to Gambling Disorders and Responsible Gamingand the sixth volume ofIncreasing the Odds: A Series Dedicated to Understanding Gambling Disorders.We strive to provide useful resources, both published and available online, to be used by researchers, academicians, clinicians, gaming industry professionals, legislators and other non-profit organizations. These two resources are available online for you to download. You can also request printed copies by emailing Amy Martin, communications and outreach manager of the NCRG, atamartin@ncrg.org.

Research & Resources: A Guide to Gambling Disorders and Responsible Gaming

Research and Resourcesis a one-of-a-kind publication that gives quick and easy access to a library of the most significant research findings on gambling disorders. The NCRG has updated it with the most recent research findings, showing the growing body of research on gambling disorders. This publication provides an overview of key studies by leading researchers in the field and also includes:

– A glossary of commonly used terms in research on gambling disorders

– A directory of online publications and resources

– Information about online screening instruments

– Resources for getting help and recovery

– A list of experts in the field of gambling disorders categorized by their areas of expertise

– Responsible gaming education and outreach initiatives of the NCRG and the gaming industry

A downloadable copy ofResearch & Resourcesis available in thePress Roomsection of the NCRG website.

Increasing the Odds: A Series Dedicated to Understanding Gambling Disorders

The NCRG’s monograph series provides easy-to-understand summaries of seminal peer-reviewed research on gambling disorders, as well as implications for future research and prevention efforts. The sixth volume ofIncreasing the Odds: A Series Dedicated to Understanding Gambling Disordersis titled“Gambling and the Brain: Why Neuroscience Research is Vital to Gambling Research”and includes the following research summaries:

– Jon E. Grant, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., describes the neurobiological link between behavioral addictions and substance use disorders

– Marc Potenza, M.D., Ph.D., explains how brain imaging technology can be used to observe brain function and better understand the role that urges play in the development and maintenance of a gambling disorder

– Anna E. Goudriaan, Ph.D., details how various types of imaging are used to investigate the role that the reward system, reactivity to cues and impulsivity play in pathological gambling

– Catharine A. Winstanley, Ph.D., reviews the drugs that impact dopamine and serotonin levels and how they influence impulsivity and addiction

Researchers have shown that studying the brain’s functions is crucial to the understanding and treatment of addiction and gambling disorders. While the recognition that gambling disorders have a neurobiological component is not new, research has made significant technological advances in areas such as brain imaging and genetics. The NCRG chose to focus on those key findings in this issue ofIncreasing the Oddsto provide a better understanding of the complex biological factors at play in gambling disorders.

A downloadable copy of the sixth volume ofIncreasing the Odds,along with the first five volumes, is available in theMonographsection of the NCRG website.

Are there resources or publications that you would like to see on the NCRG website? Please leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

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NCRG Workshop For Treatment Providers Addresses Ptsd And Gambling Disorders

According to a 2008 analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), respondents with a psychiatric disorder are 17.4 times more likely to develop pathological gambling than those without such problems (Kessler et al., 2008). To address the interaction between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problem gambling, the NCRG presented training for Boston-area treatment providers entitled, “PTSD and Problem Gambling,” led by Lisa Najavits, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Najavits presented information on her program “Seeking Safety,” an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and substance use disorders, and her research on problem gambling in PTSD populations. This session launched the2011 NCRG Treatment Provider Workshop Seriesand was a part of this year’sNCRG Road Tour.

“Seeking Safety”

“Seeking Safety” was developed by Dr. Najavits and her colleagues more than 15 years ago and has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of PTSD and substance abuse in many diverse groups of individuals. A complete listing of the validation studies, as well as copies of the studies themselves, is available on theSeeking Safety website. “Seeking Safety” is designed to be a flexible treatment that can be used in individual or group settings, and with both homogenous and diverse groups.

Seeking Safety was developed to address the present needs of clients, as opposed to focusing on either the past or future. The program has five key principles:

1)Safety:The overarching goal of helping clients to attain safety in their relationships, thinking, behavior and emotions.

2)Integratedtreatment:Clinicians are able to address both PTSD and substance abuse at the same time.

3)An Ideal-focused Approach:Patients learn tocounteract the loss of ideals in both PTSD and substance abuse.

4)Four Specific Content Areas: Clinicians can address the cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal and case management aspects of treatment simultaneously.

5)Attention to Clinician Processes: “Seeking Safety” is not always led by mental health professionals. For this reason, the program provides tools to help the group leader avoid some common pitfalls of mental health treatment and take care of their own needs.

In addition to these five key areas, the “Seeking Safety” program is broken up into 25 specific topics, including: Safety; PTSD: Taking Back Your Power; When Substances Control You; Honesty; Asking for Help; and Setting Boundaries in Relationships. A more complete description of the 25 topics is available in pdf formon the Seeking Safety website.

Research on PTSD and Pathological Gambling

Dr. Najavits also discussed the findings of a study she authored involving 106 people with current pathological gambling (PG), current PTSD or with both PG and PTSD (Najavits, Meyer, Johnson, & Korn, 2010). These individuals were evaluated for several clinical traits, such as addiction severity and personality disorders.

Dr. Najavits and her colleagues found that those with either PTSD or PG/PTSD had significantly more severe symptoms than people with only PG. This suggests that the underlying PTSD may be driving the symptoms of people with comorbid PG and PTSD more than the PG seems to influence the comorbid disorder. A more complete review of this study was published by researchers at the Division on Addictions at Cambridge Health Alliance, and it is available ontheir website. Also, you can download the study directly from theSeeking Safety websiteas the 29thstudy in their list.

The free NCRG treatment provider workshop was co-sponsored by theMassachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. Do you have thoughts or questions about PTSD and disordered gambling? Leave them in the comments section below.

References

Kessler, R.C., Hwang, I., LaBrie, R., Petukhova, M., Sampson, N.A., Winters, K.C., & Shaffer, H. J. (2008). DSM-IV pathological gambling in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.Psychological Medicine,38(9), 1351-1360.

Najavits, L. M., Meyer, T., Johnson, K. M., & Korn, D. (2010). Pathological Gambling and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Study of the Co-Morbidity versus Each Alone.Journal of Gambling Studies / Co-Sponsored by the National Council on Problem Gambling and Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming. doi:10.1007/s10899-010-9230-0

NCRG staffContinuing Education OpportunitiesClinicianscontinuing educationMassachusetts Council on Compulsive GamblingNCRGtrainingtreatment providers

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Announcing The 2011 NCRG Treatment Provider Workshop Series

A core mission of the NCRG is to encourage the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies. One of the ways we are fulfilling that mission is to launch the NCRG Treatment Provider Workshop Series. This year, the NCRG will host five regional workshops this year that will allow treatment providers to better understand the most up-to-date research on gambling disorders and apply those findings to their clinical practice. Each training session will feature leading researchers and clinicians in the field of gambling disorders, and topics will range from screenings and assessments for pathological gambling to new manuals detailing behavioral treatment strategies.

Most sessions are free of charge and are open to all mental health clinicians, practitioners and researchers who would like to attend. Participants will receive between 1.5 and two continuing education units from our accrediting bodies, such as the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Board for Certified Counselors and NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals.

We officially launched the workshop series in Boston last month with a presentation of“Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Problem Gambling,”led by Dr. Lisa Najavits of Boston University School of Medicine. Our regional co-sponsors were theMassachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling, and we had a great turnout for the training. We will post a recap of that workshop on Gambling Disorders 360˚ this week. We will continue

Everyone is welcome to register for the remaining 2011 NCRG Treatment Provider Workshop sessions:

Iowa City, Iowa –“Update on Gambling Disorders: Advanced Training on Predictors, Comorbidity and Course”

Date and Location:August 30, 2011, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. CST, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Speaker:Dr. Donald Black, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Co-sponsor:Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Gambling Treatment Program

San Diego, Calif. – “Screening and Assessment of Pathological Gambling” **

Date and Location:September 20, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. PST, National Conference on Addictive Disorders
Speaker:Dr. Randy Stinchfield, University of Minnesota
Co-sponsor:NAADAC, The Association For Addiction Professionals
**This workshop is available to those who are registered for the National Conference on Addictive Disorders

Las Vegas, Nev. – “Overcoming Impulse Control – A Guide for Therapists”

Date and Location:October 1, 2011, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. PST, The Sands Expo and Convention Center at the Venetian
Speaker:Dr. Jon Grant, University of Minnesota
Co-sponsor:Nevada Council for Problem Gambling

Detroit, Mich. – “Brief Motivational Interventions for Problem Gambling”

Date and Location:October 21, 2011, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. CST, The Virtual Center for Excellence at the Guidance Center, Southgate Campus
Speaker:Dr. Matthew Martens, University of Missouri, Columbia
Co-sponsor:Neighborhood Service Organization, Michigan Association for Problem Gambling and the Virtual Center for Excellence, Detroit – Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency

For more information or to register for any of these workshops, contact Amy Martin, communications and outreach manager for the NCRG, atamartin@ncrg.orgor 202-552-2689. The NCRG also plans to host workshops in other cities in the years ahead. Those interested in hosting a workshop in their community should contact Amy Martin with additional information.

As always, we will be live-tweeting and placing photos on Facebook during the sessions so that everyone can stay connected. Make sure to follow to Gambling Disorders 360˚, @theNCRG on Twitter and the NCRG’s Facebook page for more information. Questions or comments? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!

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Overcoming Impulse Control Problems – NCRG Pre-conference Workshop With Dr. Jon Grant

At the12thannual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, we are privileged to have four distinguished researchers leading pre-conference workshops to give mental health treatment providers and researchers an extra helping of best practices to bring back to their work. One of the sessions will be led by Dr. Jon Grant, J.D., M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and co-director of the Impulse Control Disorders Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. Dr. Grant is also the principal investigator for theNCRG Center for Excellence in Gambling Researchat the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Grant’s extensive research on impulse control disorders (ICDs) led him to co-author a workbook with Christopher B. Donahue, Ph.D., and Brian L. Odlaug, University of Minnesota Medical Center, titledOvercoming Impulse Control Problems: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program. This workbook takes the reader through various approaches to resist urges to engage in pathological gambling behaviors, as well as those behaviors demonstrated in other ICDs. Dr. Grant’s pre-conference workshop will lead clinicians through this manual.

According to the authors,Overcoming Impulse Control Problemsrepresents the treatment they have found to be the most effective at controlling urges to gamble and will also help the reader to better understand the true nature of impulse control problems, and help to prevent future problems.

The manual is intended for use in conjunction with supervised therapy and includes various self-assessments and exercises designed to help individuals realize the truth behind their actions and to reach the ultimate goal of changing their impulsive behaviors.

The goal of Dr. Grant’s pre-conference workshop is to give participants a better understanding of effective treatment strategies to use during therapy sessions with ICD patients, andOvercoming Impulse Control Problemsexplains one of these various treatment approaches. To register for this pre-conference workshop and the NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction, you candownload the conference registration formorregister online. The deadline for receiving early bird registration rates is September 12! For more information, visit the NCRG Conference website atwww.ncrg.org/conference.

Do you have questions about the pre-conference workshops or comments about effective techniques to address ICDs? Please leave them in the comments below.

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NCRG Conference Scholarships Are Now Available!

Deadline to apply: Friday, August 26

The NCRG is thrilled to announce that a record number of need-based scholarships are now available to help offset the cost of attending the annual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction. This year, based on response and availability, the NCRG will provide between 20 and 30 individual sponsorships to attend the NCRG Conference. Up to 10 of these scholarships may also include travel assistance of $200. Scholarships are available to all interested attendees, especially those in the clinical and public health sectors. A notable percentage of scholarships have been reserved for residents of Nevada.

Click here to download the application form.

To Apply:

–Click hereto download the NCRG Need-based Scholarship Program form

– Provide answers to the application questions by number on a separate document or in the body of your email

– Submissions can be made by email tocreilly@ncrg.orgor faxed to 978-552-8452 by Friday, August 26

– In return for their scholarship, recipients will be asked to submit a (minimum one-page) letter to the NCRG following the conference describing their experience at the event.

For more information, contact Christine Reilly, senior research director for the NCRG, atcreilly@ncrg.org, or 978-338-6610. All of the materials are also available on theNCRG Conference scholarship webpage. You can find more information about the 12thAnnual NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction visitwww.ncrg.org/conference.

Make sure you apply today for the NCRG Conference scholarships! Did you receive a scholarship last year? Let us know in the comments below!

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