Kleptomania: Overview of the State of Research and Results of a Behavior Therapy Study Background: Kleptomania is surrounded with ‘myths’. There is a shortage of systematic research. Treatment studies comprise few cases (1–20) and are not controlled. It is not without reason that ‘Der Spiegel online’ reported on November 10, 2002: ‘U.S. scientists are searching for kleptomaniacs’ for clinical studies’. To date, behavior therapists have mainly supplied individual case studies. In the majority of these studies, ‘classical’ symptom-centered therapy was employed. After detailed illustration of the current state of research, the author presents her own study based on a treatment model for pathological gamblers. Goal: To carry out an individual ‘cause-orientated’ behavior therapy for patients suffering from kleptomania (according to DSM-III-R), and to evaluate this treatment according to three assessment criteria. Patients and Method: 12 patients completed the therapy and could subsequently be assessed until completion of the study. Embedded in behavior, condition and function analysis, interventions took place at the level of those variables regarded as ‘causal’ factors in triggering and maintaining the kleptomaniac behavior. Results: 9 patients met all assessment criteria for success. Conclusions: The results are encouraging. Replication studies with an increased number of cases are required to support or dismiss these findings.

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© 2004 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg
2004
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