‘Affected others’ are people who are harmed by someone else’s gambling. Many affected others seek help online to deal with gambling harms. This study looked at the self-help strategies affected others use. The researchers reviewed websites and forums for information written by affected others, as well as professionals on self-help. Affected others used strategies that focused on changing their own behaviour, such as taking over the family’s finances. They also used strategies to support the person who gambles to change their behaviour, such as telling them how their gambling has affected the family. Overall, affected others used self-help strategies that matched with many techniques from professional treatments.
