Browsing by Author "Swan, Jennifer L."

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    The Technical Hypothesis of Motivational Interviewing: An Examination of Change Language in Traditional and Computer-based MI for Disordered Gamblers
    (2019-04-12) Swan, Jennifer L.; Hodgins, David Carson; McGrath, Daniel S.; Currie, Shawn R.; Mudry, Tanya E.; Goldstein, Abby L.
    Background: Motivational interviewing (MI) has shown promise as a brief treatment for disordered gamblers. The technical hypothesis of MI purports that MI-consistent therapist behaviours result in greater change language on the part of the client, which in turn leads to a more favourable outcome. The present research builds on existing literature examining client change language as the mechanism by which MI promotes behaviour change among disordered gamblers in telephone MIs (Study 1), a web-based MI program (Study 2), and in a controlled, computerized task (Study 3). Method: Transcription and coding of 50 brief MIs with disordered gamblers and path analyses was used to examine the links between therapist and client behaviours and outcome (Study 1). Multiple regression was used to examine 45 transcripts from the web-based program (Study 2). Linear mixed models were used to examine the effect of a brief, controlled, MI-consistent task on 335 participants’ self-reported importance and confidence of gambling-related behaviour change. Results: Results broadly supported previous findings that therapist MI-consistent behaviours were significantly associated with higher rates of both sustain and change language. Commitment language did not significantly predict outcome; however, the relationship between outcome and the proportion of change to sustain language approached significance. For the web-based program, only the negative relationship between participants’ sustain language and outcome approached significance. The controlled task in Study 3 did not significantly affect participant outcome; all conditions reported changes in importance, confidence, and gambling behaviour. Conclusions: Implications for treatment of disordered gambling, web-based treatments, and future research in MI are discussed.
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    The Evaluation of an Internet-based Self-Directed Motivational Enhancement Intervention for Problem and Pathological Gamblers
    (2014-09-18) Swan, Jennifer L.; Hodgins, David C.
    This study compared an Internet-based adaptation of a brief intervention for gamblers using Motivational Interviewing (MI) principles to an online screener and feedback program. Moderate-risk and problem gamblers were recruited from cities and communities across Canada; recruitment is ongoing and interim analyses were conducted on the data available to date. Participants (N = 40) completed a telephone interview and were randomized to complete either the motivational enhancement intervention or the online screener and feedback program. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted at 1 and 3 months post-intervention. While the current study found no advantage for the motivational intervention, participants in both conditions reported decreases in days and dollars lost gambling, problem gambling severity, and increases in readiness to change over the short-term follow-up period. The observed results are discussed with respect to limitations and implications for future research.
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    Understanding Gambling: Mechanisms and Predictors: Alberta Gambling Research Institute's 15th Annual Conference
    (2016-04) Bedford, Kate; Cunningham, John; Hing, Nerilee; Kayser, Andrew; Kim, Hyoun S. (Andrew); Leonard, Carrie A.; Lewis, Marc; Lister, Jamey J.; McGrath, Daniel; Nower, Lia; Philander, Kahlil; Prentice, Jennifer; Quigley, Leanne; Quilty, Lena C.; Scholnick, Barry; Shead, Will; Smith, Garry; Swan, Jennifer L.; Williams, Robert; Yakovenko, Igor
    The Alberta Gambling Research Institute and the University of Calgary co-sponsored the fifteenth in a series of special interest conferences in the area of gambling studies. The conference theme was "Understanding Gambling: Mechanisms and Predictors." The conference took place Thursday, April 7, Friday, April 8, & Saturday, April 9, 2016 at The Banff Centre.