Objective:

To examine long-term outcomes among former residential treatment clients for co-occurring gambling and substance use disorders.

Approach:

• Study Design: Mixed-methods study assessing 36 former clients between six months and eight years post-discharge using structured interviews.
• Assessment: Evaluated gambling behavior, psychiatric symptoms, substance use, and functional outcomes, supplemented by qualitative thematic analysis.

Key Findings:

• 61% of participants reported gambling after discharge.
• Participants showed significant improvements in gambling craving strength, life satisfaction, gambling-related interference, and alcohol use.
• Employment rates increased from 25.0% to 66.7%.
• Non-completion of treatment was associated with an earlier return to gambling and higher odds of post-discharge gambling.
• Key recovery mechanisms included environmental restructuring, urge-management skills, structured routines, and post-discharge support.

Interpretation:

The study indicates that residential treatment may lead to improvements in functioning and gambling-related distress among individuals with severe gambling disorder, though the observational design limits causal conclusions.

Limitations:

• The observational design limits causal conclusions.
• The small sample size of 36 participants may affect generalizability.
• Follow-up data were reliant on self-reported measures.

Conclusion:

The study provides insights into the long-term outcomes of residential treatment for gambling disorders.