Date of Award
8-2010
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Rehabilitation
First Advisor
Dixon, Mark R.
Second Advisor
Habib, Reza
Third Advisor
Baker, Jonathan C.
Abstract
The present study extends the prior research on cognitive defusion by
examining behavioral change on a simulated slot machine. Participants were
exposed to an on-line slot machine fully manipulated by an experimenter. A
randomized control pretest-posttest design was used to assess the differences in
gambling persistence and risk across groups (Defusion Control, Defusion without
Information, and Defusion with Information). Results yield a statistically
significant difference in persistence across time and a non-statistically significant
difference in risk across time. Findings from this study suggest that defusion
exercises, when combined with accurate gambling related information, may help
reduce persistence of gambling behavior.
Access
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