Research shows that only a very small percentage of pathological gamblers
seek professional treatment at any time, and that the commonest
form of escape from pathological gambling is natural recovery. In general,
gamblers who follow treatment programmes present greater severity
of the problem than those who do not follow such programmes. There do
not appear to be excessive differences in the factors related to change
between those who seek treatment and those who recover by themselves.
Behavioural and cognitive-motivational strategies, as well as cognitive
processes of change, are the factors that best explain change and maintained
abstinence in pathological gambling. In any case, further research
is necessary on the factors involved in recovery from pathological gambling,
with a view to improving the therapeutic resources available for
treating this type of problem.