Maladaptive personality traits and thinking styles among adolescent regular gamblers: A moderator mediation model

Abstract

The present study sought to explore, in a group of adolescent regular gamblers, a risk model in which the predictive function of maladaptive personality-trait domains can be mediated by maladaptive thinking styles and moderated by adaptive thinking styles on problem gambling.We assessed 325 adolescent regular gamblers ranging in age from 15 to 17 years who were recruited in betting or bingo halls. Using the PID-5-Brief Form-Children, the South Oaks Gambling Screen, and the Thinking Style Inventory. Results confirmed the validity of a theoretical framework of joint maladaptive personality-trait domains and executive thinking style, with this latter contributing to the prediction of problem gambling beyond maladaptive personality traits, and an adaptive thinking style moderating the relationship between the two variables.