Pragmatic, Brief, Free, and Validated: Screening, Assessment and Outcome Measures for Gambling Treatment

Abstract

Private and public gambling treatment services are available worldwide, yet there is limited guidance on selecting screening, assessment, and treatment outcome measures for practical use. The most effective treatments are cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI), often adapted to incorporate cultural and holistic approaches. Although multiple systematic reviews have proposed sets of measures, few are designed specifically for service delivery in community settings. This paper outlines pragmatic selection criteria for measures in these settings, recommending that they be validated, brief, free to use, and suitable for self-administration by gambling clients or their family members and friends (affected others). After reviewing existing guidelines and recommendations, the article provides an overview of measures appropriate for routine use and discusses delivery considerations such as timing, administration mode, and client engagement. It emphasizes the importance of aligning measurement tools with treatment goals and adapting them for culturally diverse contexts. While outcome measurement for gambling clients is relatively well developed, process and outcome measures for affected others remain limited.