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PubMed1997

Gambling and problem gambling among indigenous peoples.

This paper compares results from studies of gambling and problem gambling among indigenous groups in New Zealand and in North Dakota. The samples for each of these studies included substantial numbers of indigenous respondents, and the methods used in these studies were similar enough to allow comparisons of Caucasian and indigenous groups from these two distinct cultures. Analysis shows that gambling involvement, gambling expenditures, and gambling-related problems are far higher among indigenous respondents than among Caucasian respondents in both New Zealand and North Dakota. These comparisons suggest that differences between indigenous peoples and Caucasians in gambling behaviors may be due to factors distinct from culture or milieu.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Characteristics of gambling helpline callers with self-reported gambling and alcohol use problems.

The characteristics of problem gamblers calling the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG) gambling helpline during the years 2000-2001 (n = 960) were examined based on the presence or absence of self-reported alcohol use problems. A relatively low proportion of callers reported a problem with alcohol use (173/960 or 18.0%), and of those acknowledging an alcohol use problem, the majority reported a past rather than current problem (143/173 or 82.7%). A logistic regression analysis found that, as compared with problem gamblers denying any alcohol use problems, those reporting past or current alcohol use problems were more likely to be male and more frequently acknowledged problems with more forms of gambling, suicide attempts related to gambling, arrests secondary to gambling, daily tobacco use, drug use problems, prior substance abuse treatment, and family histories positive for alcohol and drug use problems. The findings highlight the strong relationship between alcohol use problems and other substance use problems, and suggest that problem gamblers with as compared with those without alcohol use problems demonstrate greater problems in multiple areas (arrest, attempted suicide) linked by impaired impulse control.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Changes in physiological arousal to gambling cues among participants in motivationally enhanced cognitive-behavior therapy for pathological gambling: a preliminary study.

Despite somewhat high attrition and relapse rates, cognitive-behavioral interventions for pathological gambling seem promising. As a possible remedy to these problems, we conducted a preliminary study of gambling-specific cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) with the addition of motivational enhancement techniques (MET) for the treatment of pathological gamblers. Data on psychophysiological arousal upon exposure to imagined gambling vignettes were collected at both pre- and posttreatment. Results indicate that participants showed decreases in degree of arousal during the vignettes from pre- to posttreatment. There was also a strong dose-response relationship between reductions in gambling symptoms and reductions in arousal. These findings are discussed, as are their implications for further study of pathological gambling.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Psychiatric symptoms in problem gambling and non-problem gambling substance abusers.

This study compared demographic characteristics, Addiction Severity Index (ASI) ratings, and psychiatric symptoms in 103 substance abusers with and without gambling problems. Thirty-one of the substance abusers were identified as probable pathological gamblers on the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Although no differences in demographic characteristics or ASI ratings were noted between the groups, subjects with a gambling problem consistently reported more psychiatric distress than substance abusers without a gambling problem. Specifically, they had increased ratings on somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and paranoia scales. These results are discussed in terms of the need to identify and treat gambling problems among substance abusers.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation of patients treated for pathological gambling in a combined alcohol, substance abuse and pathological gambling treatment unit using the Addiction Severity Index.

Seventy-two pathological gambling patients were followed-up after treatment in a combined alcohol, substance abuse and compulsive gambling treatment program. The Addiction Severity Index (modified for use with pathological gamblers) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Patients reduced their intake of alcohol, other drugs and their gambling as well as improved in legal, family/social, and psychological functioning. There was a trend for improvement in medical condition and no net change in employment functioning. The study supports the idea that combined treatment is an effective way of dealing with patients whose gambling problems are discovered when they enter treatment for another addiction, as well as for patients whose initial complaints include pathological gambling, with or without additional problems.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Gambling behavior and gambling experience of pathologic gamblers using slot machines].

A representative sample of 106 men playing at slotmachines with possibility to win money in 61 casinos in Zürich were interviewed. One questionnaire contained sociodemographic variables and gambling habits, the second questionnaire (GBE) was about gambling behaviour and the emotional experience of gambling. One out of four persons proved to be a compulsive gambler on the ground of gambling frequency and duration. 85% of these excessive gamblers could also be identified as pathological gamblers because of their behaviour and emotional experience (GBE-questionnaire) with analysis of discriminance. Compulsive gamblers showed side effects of an addiction like strong tendencies for denial and rationalization. At the same time they heavily relied on acquaintances and friends for acquiring finances. On the other hand they were characterized by being unable to set limits to the gambling habit and the perception of being dependent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Men & women playing games: gender and the gambling preferences of Iowa gambling treatment program participants.

Historically, gambling has been a predominantly male pastime; however, as legalized gambling has expanded, female participation has increased. Nevertheless, some research suggests that a divide remains between the play patterns of men and women. For example, research suggests that men gravitate towards casino table games and track betting and women are attracted to games such as bingo and casino slots. Researchers have hypothesized that play pattern disparities exist because of inherent differences between the natures of men and women. Using data from 2256 (1309 male) problem gambling treatment participants, this research examines the influence of gender on play patterns. We tested the ability of gender and a series of demographic, economic, and health-related factors to discriminate among three groups of gamblers with different game preferences: casino preferred, slots preferred, and non-institutional preferred. The results of multiple discriminant function analyses indicated that gender provided a minimal contribution to discrimination beyond that of specific demographic, economic, and health-related factors. This finding suggests that for understanding gambling patterns, gender is less informative than descriptive gambler profiles.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Passion and gambling: on the validation of the Gambling Passion Scale (GPS).

Vallerand and his colleagues (Vallerand & Blanchard, 1999; Vallerand, Blanchard, Koestner, & Gagné, 2001) have recently proposed a new concept of passion. According to these authors, passion refers to a strong inclination toward an activity that we like, find important, and in which we invest time. Vallerand et al. have identified two types of passion: obsessive and harmonious. Obsessive passion refers to an internal pressure that forces an individual to engage in the activity. Harmonious passion, on the other hand, refers to an internal force that leads an individual to choose freely to engage in an activity. While obsessive passion has been shown in some circumstances to lead to negative psychological and physical consequences, harmonious passion generally leads to positive psychological and physical consequences. The purpose of the present research was to validate a measure of passion toward gambling: the Gambling Passion Scale (GPS). The GPS consists of two subscales (obsessive passion and harmonious passion) comprising five items each. Results from two studies involving a total of 340 participants revealed satisfactory internal consistency and temporal stability indices, as well as a two-factor structure supported by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Finally, a series of partial correlational anaylses between the two subscales and scales assessing behavioral measures related to gambling supported the construct validity of the GPS. The present results suggest that the GPS is a useful scale for research on gambling.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Arousal and sensation-seeking components in the general explanation of gambling and gambling addictions.

Following upon the first clear experimental evidence that states of high arousal accompany gambling in real-life situations, an attempt is made to clarify the implications of this new finding for the development of two possible forms of a neo-Pavlovian or classical conditioning addition to the traditional emphasis on operant conditioning in behavioral explanations of gambling. The explanatory scope and power of one (biological hedonist) version of the model is then demonstrated as applied to both normal regular and pathological gambling. The role of arousal and sensation-seeking factors is considered alongside the roles of other likely components in any possible general explanation of both regular and pathological gambling.

Arousal↗
PubMed1993

Sensation seeking, gambling and gambling addictions.

Male off-course bettors were assessed using: the Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) Form V, two measures of subjective arousal while betting, and questions concerning chasing, preferences for gambling activities and other aspects of betting behaviour. The SSS was also administered to a random sample of the male general population of Glasgow, together with questions concerning preferences for gambling activities to allow comparison between regular gamblers and the general population. In comparison with the general population and with non-gamblers, off-course bettors scored lower on SSS; gamblers preferring the casino and/or the race-track scored higher on SSS; gamblers betting on many different forms scored higher on SSS. A further analysis produced a cluster of variables among off-course bettors associated with impaired control of gambling, among which both SSS scores and chasing were prominent features.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The reification of the "pathological" gambler: an analysis of gambling treatment and the application of the medical model to problem gambling.

PROBLEM: Is the medical model used to reify "pathological" gambling? METHODS: A qualitative field study of 12 subjects with the diagnosis "pathological" gambler. FINDINGS: None of the 12 subjects being treated for "pathological" gambling fit neatly in the category of "pathological" gambler. An examination of the treatment center revealed institutional grounds for the use of this diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Rather than a medical diagnosis, "pathological" gambling is a socially constructed phenomenon. Using the medical model serves clients interpersonally and clinicians occupationally.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Is discounting impulsive?. Evidence from temporal and probability discounting in gambling and non-gambling college students.

Discounting tasks were used to evaluate whether gambling and non-gambling college students (categorized based on their scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen) differed in the degree to which they discounted delayed and probabilistic rewards. Hyperbola-like functions provided equally good descriptions of discounting in both groups. Both groups discounted large delayed amounts less steeply than small delayed amounts, whereas both groups discounted large probabilistic amounts more steeply than small probabilistic amounts. Gamblers discounted probabilistic rewards less steeply than non-gamblers, suggesting that gamblers are impulsive in the sense that they are less affected by risk than non-gamblers. However, gamblers did not discount delayed rewards more steeply than non-gamblers. The results argue against the view that impulsivity is a general trait that includes both an inability to delay gratification and a tendency to take risks.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Comparison of problem-gambling and non-problem-gambling youths seeking treatment for marijuana abuse.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and correlates of problem gambling (PG) in marijuana-abusing adolescents. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was conducted of data collected from participants entering treatment for marijuana abuse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Hartford, Connecticut, between 1998 and 2000. RESULTS: Of 255 adolescents interviewed, 22% experienced gambling problems. Compared with non-problem gamblers (NPGs), PGs were more likely to be male, of African-American ethnicity, and to live in single-parent homes. Multivariate general linear models compared the two groups with respect to psychosocial problems. After controlling for age, gender, and race, differences between the groups emerged in drug use severity, legal difficulties, psychiatric problems, and human immunodeficiency virus risk behaviors. PGs reported a greater frequency of overall drug and alcohol use and greater intensity of marijuana use than their NPG counterparts. They had more illegal activity and greater somatization and anxiety symptoms, as well as higher levels of victimization. Compared with NPGs, PGs also reported more recent sexual partners. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that PG is common in marijuana-abusing youths and that they have increased psychosocial problems. These data suggest the need for early identification and treatment of PG in substance-abusing adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Paper standard gamble: a paper-based measure of standard gamble utility for current health.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a paper-based instrument that is simple to administer and produces a reliable estimate of patient standard gamble (SG) utilities for current health status. METHODS: A 1-page paper questionnaire instrument, paper standard gamble (PSG), was designed to estimate SG utilities. We performed two studies to assess the validity of PSG. First we compared PSG and SG utilities for current health in patients with prostate cancer. They randomly received either PSG followed by SG or vice versa, always with an intervening SF-12. In the second validity study, we assessed the test-retest reliability of PSG by administering it to prostate cancer patients twice, at least 2 weeks apart. RESULTS: In the first study, utilities were assessed in 64 men (32 per SG/PSG order group). A paired-comparison t test suggested no difference between SG and PSG (mean difference = -0.007; 95% confidence interval (Cl), -0.022 to 0.008). The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.92 (95% Cl, 0.79 to 0.99). In the second study, test and retest PSGs were available for 184 patients. The concordance correlation coefficient was 0.88 (95% Cl, 0.73 to 0.94). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that PSG may serve as a reliable substitute for SG when current health utility is of interest. PSG may have particular advantages for acquisition of health-related quality-of-life data in longitudinal studies.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

DSM-IV and the South Oaks Gambling Screen: diagnosing and assessing pathological gambling in Turkey.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) in identifying Turkish pathological gamblers. Fifty-nine subjects participated in the study. The subjects were diagnosed as either pathological gamblers or not (comparison group) through the use of the DSM-IV criteria and were given the Turkish version of the SOGS. Four of the ten DSM-IV criteria were found to be problematic in the diagnosis of Turkish pathological gamblers. The data concerning reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the SOGS suggested that the SOGS can be used as a reliable and valid instrument in identifying Turkish pathological gamblers. Most (16 out of 20) of the items of the SOGS appear to work well in discriminating pathological gamblers from the subjects in the comparison group. In the case of the two DSM-IV criteria and the four SOGS items that failed to discriminate, cultural factors seemed to be responsible for the failure.

Journal Article↗