Research has shown that there is a strong comorbidity with problem gambling and other mental health and substance use disorders. Effective screening and assessment processes can identify more clients with gambling problems.
Tips for more effective screening and assessment:
- Screening items are generally incorporated into intake forms without any introduction to the area of gambling
- Give concrete examples -- i.e. Asking “Do you gamble?” vs. “When did you last buy a lottery ticket?”
- Use fewer “pathologizing” questions such as asking how often a person has participated in the range of gambling activities described
Brief Screens
BRIEF BIOSOCIAL GAMBLING SCREEN (BBGS)
The Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) is a 3-item survey designed to help people decide on their own whether to seek a formal evaluation of their gambling behavior. The BBGS is based on the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria for pathological gambling. For more information and to use the BBGS e-screener, click here.
NORC DIAGNOSTIC SCREEN FOR GAMBLING PROBLEMS-SELF ADMINISTERED (NODS-SA)
The NODS-SA is a self-assessment version of the NODS (the NORC Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Disorders). It was designed to assist individuals in evaluating whether to modify or seek help for their gambling behavior. The NODS is based on the APA’s DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling.
Diagnostic Screens
DSM-5 GAMBLING DISORDER CRITERIA
The American Psychiatric Association provides guidelines used for gambling disorders. Click here to view these criteria, which can be found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).
SOUTH OAKS GAMBLING SCREEN (SOGS)
The SOGS is a 20-item questionnaire based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria for pathological gambling.
