Society For The Study Of Addiction

Affected family members: the National Problem Gambling Clinic (London) experience

[This presentation was first made to the SSA Annual Symposium in York, 10-11 November 2021].

Ms Jennifer Cousins

Family Psychotherapist

Jennifer Cousins is a Family Psychotherapist at the first NHS clinic for problem gamblers and their family members and friends. She has worked within the addiction field for nine years and started at the clinic when it opened in 2008. Her work at the clinic involves coordinating and offering the support services available for family members and friends, including initial appointments, reviews, psycho-educational groups and family therapy.



The Central and North West London National Problem Gambling Clinic opened in 2008. It provides a service for people affected by problem gambling including family members and friends of those with the gambling problem. A range of questionnaires developed for those affected by someone else’s alcohol use and based on the Stress-Strain-Coping-Support model were adapted to use with family members affected by problem gambling problems. The measures were then administered to all family members who attended an initial appointment at the clinic between October 2010 and October 2011. The talk will present the initial findings with an emphasis on a full description of the sample (N = 48) and some comparison of the results to previous data from family members affected by other addiction problems.

Download the full presentation here.