keynote speaker

A core mission of the NCRG is to encourage the application of new research findings to improve prevention, diagnostic, intervention and treatment strategies. One of the ways we are fulfilling that mission is to launch the NCRG Treatment Provider Workshop Series. This year, the NCRG will host five regional workshops this year that will allow treatment providers to better understand the most up-to-date research on gambling disorders and apply those findings to their clinical practice. Each training session will feature leading researchers and clinicians in the field of gambling disorders, and topics will range from screenings and assessments for pathological gambling to new manuals detailing behavioral treatment strategies.

Part two of the series recapping Dr. Howard Shaffer’s keynote address at the 25^th National Conference on Problem Gambling in Boston, Mass. To read part one of the Gambling Disorders 360° series, click here.

After laying the foundation for his presentation by outlining the theoretical revolutions that have defined our understanding of gambling disorders, Dr. Howard Shaffer then proposed that the next revolution in understanding gambling disorders will come from the way online gambling behavior can now be studied. Until recently, information about people’s gambling behavior has come almost exclusively from self-report (asking a person questions about their past gambling behaviors). Self-report is considered to be acceptably accurate by the scientific community, but it relies on recollections of individuals that may be influenced by a variety of factors such as desire to please interviewers or to downplay losses. For years these problems with self-reported data have presented a challenge to researchers studying gambling disorders. However, Dr. Shaffer suggested that new innovations in research methods will decrease the role of self-report and allow researchers to look directly at the gambling behavior of online gamblers.

For the NCRG, summertime brings a busy season of travel, exciting conferences and speaking engagements. This summer is no exception, and we want to make sure you know where we will be discussing research on gambling disorders and the latest in responsible gaming.