Chapter 14 - Predictors of problem gambling and other addictive behaviors: from context to genes

Abstract

This chapter presents factors predating the development of addictive behaviors such as problematic gambling and gaming disorder. Both neurocognitive and personality factors indicated by behavioral and neurocognitive measures of impulsivity and low self-restraint are associated with problem gambling in prospective studies that focus on the prediction of problem gambling from childhood behavior and temperament. For problem gambling as well as problematic gaming and Internet involvement, substantial genetic influence is present, with higher genetic load for more severe gambling problems. For problem gaming and other behavioral addictions, more genetic research is needed, although initial studies show that (shared) environmental factors have a larger effect in females compared with males. In problem gambling and gaming, cognitive misperceptions for gambling and gaming-related cognitions such as perfectionism regarding gaming and perceived control are associated with perceived skill in chance games. For problematic gaming and other behavioral addictive disorders, more research is needed into predictive factors, although the first studies do indicate a larger role for social factors such as higher social integration, school achievement, and higher parental monitoring being related to problematic gaming, compared with the factors involved in problematic gambling, which seem to align to a higher degree with shared risk factors for substance use disorders.