In gambling disorder (GD), self-exclusion is a measure to decrease the negative consequences of gambling. It involves people requesting to ban themselves from accessing online gambling sites or in-person gambling venues. The goal of this study was to build a profile of people who had sought self-exclusion prior to seeking professional treatment. Another aim was to analyze treatment outcomes in terms of dropout and relapse.
The researchers found that patients who had self-excluded before seeking treatment have a specific clinical profile. They have a higher sociodemographic status and more severe GD compared to patients who did not self-exclude prior to seeking treatment. They also have had GD for a longer duration and greater mental health problems. Women are more likely to have self-excluded prior to seeking treatment than men. Self-exclusion is also associated with certain personality traits, namely, higher sensation seeking and lower persistence. The patients who had self-excluded before were found to have a better response to treatment in terms of a lower rate of relapse. There was no difference in terms of dropout rate.
