Great news for us no-nonsense types! Turns out that identifying a problem gambler could be as simple as, oh, just asking: "HEY ARE YOU A PROBLEM GAMBLER?":
University of Calgary psychology professor David Hodgins says short questionnaires, sometimes consisting of just three "yes or no" queries, can often be enough to flag problem gamblers and help get them started on the road to recovery. Hodgins' conclusions are included in an article, to be published in The Lancet medical journal, which summarizes some of the latest research in the field of gambling treatment. Hodgins is calling on professionals who work with potential problem gamblers to make use of these simple tools more often. "Training practitioners in different sectors to be able to do brief, quick and easy screening for gambling problems would be very helpful," Hodgins said in a telephone interview from Calgary, adding the questionnaire could be used by professionals ranging from bankers to doctors.