Neil Thomason

Sex differences in the treatment needs and outcomes of problem gamblers

Previous studies have found significant differences between men and women who have sought help for problems associated with their gambling. While this raises the possibility of differing treatment needs, much of the research into treating problem gamblers is based on all-male samples. This article seeks to remedy this situation by reporting on sex differences in the treatment of 1,520 problem gamblers, almost half of whom are female, who sought help in the state of Victoria, Australia, between July 1996 and June 1997. In contrast to the primarily external concerns such as employment and legal matters reported by males, females attending for problem gambling counseling were more likely to report problems with their physical and intrapersonal functioning and were more likely to report resolution of their problems. Male clients were more likely to have their cases closed and be referred to other agencies for assistance.

Not the same: A comparison of female and male clients seeking treatment from problem gambling counselling services

Previous studies of problem gamblers portray this group as being almost exclusively male. However, this study demonstrates that females comprised 46% of the population (n = 1,520) of persons who sought assistance due to concerns about their gambling from the publicly-funded BreakEven counselling services in the state of Victoria, Australia, in one 12-month period. This suggests that the model of service delivery which is community based counselling on a non-residential basis may be better able to attract female clients than treatment centres where males predominate such as veterans centres. A comparative analysis of the social and demographic characteristics of female and male gamblers within the study population was undertaken. As with previous studies, we have found significant differences between males and females who have sought help for problems associated with their gambling. Gender differences revealed in this study include females being far more likely to use electronic gaming machines (91.1% vs. 61.4%), older (39.6 years vs. 36.1 years), more likely to be born in Australia (79.4% vs. 74.7%), to be married (42.8% vs. 30.2%), living with family (78.9% vs. 61.5%) and to have dependent children (48.4% vs. 35.7%), than males who present at these services. Female gamblers (A

Toward Improved Statistical Reporting in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

7,342) reported average gambling debts of less than half of that owed by males (A

Colloquium on Effect Sizes: the Roles of Editors, Textbook Authors, and the Publication Manual Reporting of Statistical Inference in the Journal of Applied Psychology: Little Evidence of Reform

19,091). These gender differences have implications for the development and conduct of problem gambling counselling services as it cannot be assumed that models of service which have demonstrated effectiveness with males will be similarly effective with females.

Past and Future American Psychological Association Guidelines for Statistical Practice

Philip Kendalls (1997) editorial encouraged authors in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (JCCP) to report effect sizes and clinical significance. The present authors assessed the influence of that editorial--and other American Psychological Association initiatives to improve statistical practices--by examining 239 JCCP articles published from 1993 to 2001. For analysis of variance, reporting of means and standardized effect sizes increased over that period, but the rate of effect size reporting for other types of analyses surveyed remained low. Confidence interval reporting increased little, reaching 17% in 2001. By 2001, the percentage of articles considering clinical (not only statistical) significance was 40%, compared with 36% in 1996. In a follow-up survey of JCCP authors (N=62), many expressed positive attitudes toward statistical reform. Substantially improving statistical practices may require stricter editorial policies and further guidance for authors on reporting and interpreting measures.

Partners of problem gamblers who present for counselling: demographic profile and presenting problems

Reformers have long argued that misuse of Null Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST) is widespread and damaging. The authors analyzed 150 articles from the Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP) covering 1940 to 1999. They examined statistical reporting practices related to misconceptions about NHST, American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines, and reform recommendations. The analysis reveals (a) inconsistency in reporting alpha and p values, (b) the use of ambiguous language in describing NHST, (c) frequent acceptance of null hypotheses without consideration of power, (d) that power estimates are rarely reported, and (e) that confidence intervals were virtually never used. APA guidelines have been followed only selectively. Research methodology reported in JAP has increased greatly in sophistication over 60 years, but inference practices have shown remarkable stability. There is little sign that decades of cogent critiques by reformers had by 1999 led to changes in statistical reporting practices in JAP.

Is more better? The relationship between outcomes achieved by problem gamblers and the number of counselling sessions attended

We review the publication guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1929 and document their advice for authors about statistical practice. Although the advice has been extended with each revision of the guidelines, it has largely focused on null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) to the exclusion of other statistical methods. In parallel, we review over 40 years of critiques of NHST in psychology. Until now, the critiques have had little impact on the APA guidelines. The guidelines are influential in broadly shaping statistical practice, although in some cases recommended reporting practices are not closely followed. The guidelines have an important role to play in reform of statistical practice in psychology. Following the report of the APAs Task Force on Statistical Inference, we propose that future revisions of the guidelines reflect a broader philosophy of analysis and inference, provide detailed statistical requirements for reporting research, and directly address concerns about NHST. In addition, the APA needs to develop ways to ensure that its editors succeed in their leadership role in achieving essential reform.

Still Much to Learn About Confidence Intervals Reply to Rouder and Morey (2005)

This study examined the characteristics of partners of problem gamblers. The study participants were 440 partners, who sought help in a 12-month period from the publicly-funded Break Even counselling services in the state of Victoria, Australia. The analyses revealed that the partners of problem gamblers were far from an homogenous group, with having to face the consequences of another person’s problematic gambling seeming to be the only common characteristic. Almost one-third (29.6%) of clients were male and with the exception of financial problems, which were more likely to be reported by females, the presenting problems were similar. When compared to all Victorians aged 15 years and over, greater proportions of male and female partners of problem gamblers were participants in the labour force.

Relationship between sleep disturbance, depression and anxiety in the 12 months following a cardiac event

Abstract This paper addresses the question of how much intervention is necessary for the effective treatment of problem gambling by exploring the relationship between the number of counselling sessions attended and the degree of problem resolution achieved for 613 individuals who attended problem gambling counselling services in Victoria. While those who achieved partial or full resolution of presenting problems attended more sessions than those who finished counselling with their problems still unresolved, problems were typically reported as being resolved in fewer than five sessions. It is concluded that for some problem gamblers a relatively brief intervention may be sufficient.

Cognitive and Pedagogical Benefits of Argument Mapping: LAMP Guides the Way to Better Thinking

Confidence intervals (CIs), rather than p values, should often provide the major justification for conclusions drawn from data. Therefore, CIs should be reported, and also interpreted. Rouder and Morey (2005) distinguished ‘‘arelational’’ CIs (e.g., CIs around single sample means) and ‘‘relational’’ CIs (e.g., CIs around mean differences or standardized effect sizes). They argued that the former are not suitable for inference and that researchers are justified in not interpreting such intervals. Yet, the purpose of research using samples is almost always to make inferences to populations. CIs—including arelational CIs—are, by design, inferential statistics and can legitimately serve to justify inferential conclusions. Rouder and Morey argued that rather than using arelational CIs for inference, authors should exploit the fact that they ‘‘provide a rough guide to variability in data, a coarse view of the replicability of patterns, and a quick check of the heterogeneity of variance’’ (p. 77). We believe there are problems with these three suggestions. First, variability in data is represented directly by descriptive statistics, such as the standard deviation. A CI, by contrast, is often based on a standard error and influenced by sample size. Similar levels of variability will give CIs of very different widths, depending on group size, so CIs should not be relied on to give even a rough guide to variability in data. Second, CIs do give information about replicability, but we (Cumming, Williams, & Fidler, 2004) reported that a majority of researchers, seeing a CI, markedly underestimate the true extent of variability over replications. Further, Maxwell (2004, p. 157) pointed out that in many realistic research situations, the pattern of results shown by CIs is unstable over replication. Finally, for examining heterogeneity of variance, descriptive rather than inferential statistics—standard deviations rather than standard errors or CIs—are again needed. Only if group sizes are equal will CIs give an accurate guide. Rouder and Morey’s comments reinforce the need to report standard deviations, but do not justify noninterpretation of CIs. CIs are rarely reported in journals outside medicine (Kieffer, Reese, & Thompson, 2001). Even in medicine, where they have been routinely reported for two decades, they are rarely interpreted (Fidler, Thomason, Cumming, Finch, & Leeman, 2004). Guidelines for and examples of good practice are lacking, and we support research to develop and evaluate better guidelines for use and interpretation of CIs. Thompson (2002) noted, ‘‘It is conceivable that some researchers may not fully understand statistical methods that they (a) rarely read in the literature and (b) infrequently use in their own work’’ (p. 26). For example, it is widely believed (Belia, Fidler, Williams, & Cumming, 2004; Schenker & Gentleman, 2001) that two 95% CIs having zero overlap—just touching end to end—are equivalent to statistical significance with p 5 .05. In fact, for 95% CIs on two independent means, overlap by about one quarter of the total length of one interval corresponds to a p value of about .05 (Cumming & Finch, 2005; Saville, 2003; Wolfe & Hanley, 2002). Rouder and Morey argued that ‘‘arelational CIs . . . do not reflect between-groups information and cannot be used for direct comparisons’’ (p. 77). This is true for repeated measure designs, in which CIs on separate cell means do not provide the relevant information for a comparison, but it does not hold for independent groups. For two independent groups, the difference between the means has a p value of about .05 when the separate 95% CIs overlap by about 25% of the length of either interval, and a p value of about .01 when the two intervals just touch end to end (see Cumming & Finch, 2005, for a discussion of the breadth of applicability of these rules). The terms arelational and relational might be useful in describing the type of CIs reported. However, such distinctions should not be used to determine the use of CIs. Of course, as for statistical tests, thought should be given to what is the most appropriate CI for the situation (Wilkinson & the Task Force on Statistical Address correspondence to Fiona Fidler, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia; e-mail: fidlerfm@unimelb.edu.au. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE