Academic literature on the topic 'Concerned significant others (CSOs)'

Aims: This study investigates the proportion of concerned significant others (CSOs) of problem gamblers at population level and describes the extent and type of gambling harms for CSOs. Methods: Cross-sectional random sample data ( n = 4515) were collected in 2015. The data were weighted based on age, gender and residence. CSOs were identified using a question including seven options. Gambling harms were inquired using structured questions. Descriptive statistics and Chi-Squared and Fischer’s exact tests were used. Results: Overall, the proportion of CSOs was 19.3%. Males had close friends with gambling problems more often than females, while females had family members with gambling problems more often than males. Of the CSOs, 59.5% had experienced one or more harms. Females experienced more harms than males. Typical harms were worry about health or well-being of close ones, emotional distress and problems in interpersonal relationships. CSOs with a problem gambler in the family, particularly a partner, child/children or mother, experienced harms more often than CSOs with a problem gambler as a close friend. Conclusions: Female gender was associated with a larger extent of harms. The extent of harms was greatest if the problem gambler was a family member; however, a substantial amount of harms were experienced when the problem gambler was a close friend. CSOs and their position in evaluating gambling harms in general should be acknowledged. Persons beyond the nuclear family and the harms they encounter should be better acknowledged in prevention and harm minimisation. Early identification and a clear referral path to tailored support in occupational, social and healthcare settings may be considered.

Treatment options for concerned significant others (CSOs) of problem gamblers are limited, and available treatments focus exclusively on the distress of CSOs. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a comprehensive treatment program for CSOs of substance abusers that has been shown to reduce CSO distress in addition to the substance abuser's alcohol or drug behaviour. CRAFT capitalizes on the well-documented fact that family members have considerable influence on the substance abuser's decision to enter treatment. The present study modified the CRAFT approach into an individual treatment format for CSOs of problem gamblers and examined its efficacy in comparison to a CRAFT self-help workbook in a randomized clinical trial. A total of 31 participants were recruited. No statistical differences were found between the groups; however, effect sizes indicated that participants who received the CRAFT individual intervention seemed to have better outcomes than did those who received the CRAFT workbook (decreased days and dollars gambled by the gambler and improved CSO functioning). No differences between groups were found for gambler treatment entry rates over the follow-up period in terms of effect sizes. The results provide initial, but limited, support for the CRAFT approach delivered to CSOs of treatment-resistant problem gamblers in an individual treatment format compared with the self-help workbook format. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to gauge the efficacy of the CRAFT individual intervention compared with the CRAFT self-help workbook.

In cross-sectional gambling studies, friends, family, and others close to those experiencing gambling problems (concerned significant others ‘CSOs’) tend to report detriments to their quality of life. To date, however, there have been no large, population-based longitudinal studies examining the health and wellbeing of CSOs. We analyse longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to examine the 18-year trajectories of general, social, health and financial wellbeing of household CSOs (n = 477) and compare these to those without a gambling problem in the household (n = 13,661). CSOs reported significantly worse long-term wellbeing than non-CSOs in their satisfaction with life, number of life stressors, and social, health and financial wellbeing. However, both social and financial wellbeing showed a temporal effect, declining significantly for CSOs at times closer to the exposure to the gambling problem. This finding suggests a causal link between living in a household with a person with a gambling problem and decreased CSO social and financial wellbeing. Policy responses, such as additional social and financial support, could be considered to assist CSOs impacted by another person’s gambling problem.

ABSTRACT Context Over the last 2 decades, problematic Internet use (PIU) has become a serious public health issue. Greater accessibility and daily use of the Internet have contributed to the emergence of this new social phenomenon. Scientific literature has exploded in the last few years, with studies focusing on its conceptualization, assessment, risk factors, comorbidities, and treatment. However, very few studies have taken into consideration the concerned significant others (CSOs) of people with PIU. Objective: This article aims to document the experiences of CSOs in order to target dimensions that should be included when evaluating the needs of this type of service user. Method: This scoping review identified 6 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2019. Results: The results highlight the following dimensions to take into consideration when evaluating the needs of partners: screen time, communication, conflicts, intimacy, financial problems, distribution of chores and responsibilities, psychological and emotional impacts, partners’ view of their spouse, and coping strategies. None of the reviewed articles examined the experiences of parents of adolescents with PIU. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first scoping review that has been conducted on this topic. The results obtained emphasize the importance of conducting further research to better understand the issues faced by all types of CSOs of people with PIU and develop intervention programs tailored to their specific needs. Contexte: Au cours des deux dernières décennies, l’utilisation problématique d’Internet (UPI) est devenue un grave problème de santé publique. L’accessibilité accrue et l’utilisation quotidienne d’Internet ont contribué à l'émergence de ce nouveau phénomène social. La littérature scientifique a explosé ces dernières années avec des études portant sur la conceptualisation, l'évaluation, les facteurs de risque, les comorbidités et le traitement. Cependant, très peu d'études ont pris en considération les personnes significatives concernées (PSC) by "membres de l'entourage (ME) des personnes présentant une UPI. Objectif: Cet article vise à documenter les expériences des ME afin de cibler les dimensions qui devraient être incluses lors de l'évaluation des besoins de ce type d’utilisateurs de services. Méthode: Cette revue de la portée a permis d’identifier six articles évalués par des pairs et publiés entre 2000 et 2019. Résultats: Les résultats mettent en évidence les dimensions suivantes à prendre en considération lors de l'évaluation des besoins des partenaires de vie: temps d'écran, communication, conflits, intimité, problèmes financiers, répartition des tâches et des responsabilités, impacts psychologiques et émotionnels, vision des partenaires sur leur conjoint et stratégies d’adaptation. Aucun des articles examinés ne s’est penché sur les expériences des parents d’adolescents présentant une UPI. Conclusion: À notre connaissance, il s’agit de la première revue exploratoire réalisée sur ce sujet. Les résultats obtenus soulignent l’importance de poursuivre les recherches afin de mieux comprendre les problèmes rencontrés par tous les types de ME de personnes présentant une UPI et de développer des programmes d’intervention adaptés à leurs besoins spécifiques.