Pathological gambling treated with cognitive behavior therapy: a case report.

A novel approach to the cognitive behavioral treatment of pathological gambling is described. The approach is based on the hypothesis that biased information may form the basis of the rules governing gambling behavior. The treatment focused on modifying assumptions and beliefs underlying the gambling behavior of a 47-year-old male with a 26-year gambling history. Based on a 6-month follow-up, the intervention successfully reduced the frequency of the client's gambling behavior from 10 times per month in the 3 years prior to treatment to three total times in the 6-month follow-up period.