Abstract
BackgroundDistorted gambling-related cognitions are tightly related to gambling problems, and are one of the main targets of treatment for disordered gambling, but their etiology remains uncertain. Although folk wisdom and some theoretical approaches have linked them to lower domain-general reasoning abilities, evidence regarding that relationship remains unconvincing.MethodIn the present cross-sectional study, the relationship between probabilistic/abstract reasoning, as measured by the Berlin Numeracy Test (BNT), and the Matrices Test, respectively, and the five dimensions of the Gambling-Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS), was tested in a sample of 77 patients with gambling disorder and 58 individuals without gambling problems.Results and interpretationNeither BNT nor matrices scores were significantly related to gambling-related cognitions, according to frequentist (MANCOVA/ANCOVA) analyses, performed both considering and disregarding group (patients, non-patients) in the models. Correlation Bayesian analyses (bidirectional BF10) largely supported the null hypothesis, i.e., the absence of relationships between the measures of interest. This pattern or results reinforces the idea that distorted cognitions do not originate in a general lack of understanding of probability or low fluid intelligence, but probably result from motivated reasoning.
Highlights
Gambling is a leisure activity, practised non-problematically by a large share of the population, but that can generate substantial harm to the community (Shannon et al, 2017)
Participants in the patients with gambling disorder (PGD) group had a diagnosis of gambling disorder, as established by their therapist based on DSM5 criteria, and they had abstained from gambling for 15 days or more
Despite sociodemographic matching, general reasoning scores remained associated with GD, which is in line with the abovementioned evidence of links between reasoning abilities and risk of being diagnosed with GD
Summary
Gambling is a leisure activity, practised non-problematically by a large share of the population, but that can generate substantial harm to the community (Shannon et al, 2017). Understanding the factors that foster gambling involvement is important at the individual, social, and policy levels, regardless of clinical status Among these factors, distorted gambling-related cognitions play a central role (Fortune and Goodie, 2012; Lindberg et al, 2014a; Goodie et al, 2019; Brooks et al, 2020). These cognitions are frequently targeted by commercial advertising (Lopez-Gonzalez et al, 2018), and are among the main therapeutic targets in cognitive-behavioral therapy of gambling disorder (Rash and Petry, 2014; Choi et al, 2017; Menchon et al, 2018). Folk wisdom and some theoretical approaches have linked them to lower domain-general reasoning abilities, evidence regarding that relationship remains unconvincing
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