The personality profile of chronic alcohol dependent patients with comorbid gambling disorder symptoms

Ildikó Kovács,Ildikó Katalin Pribék,Ildikó Demeter,Sándor Rózsa,Zoltán Janka,Zsolt Demetrovics,Bálint Andó

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2020.152183

Abstract

Background and aimsThe importance of personality characteristics in the diagnosis and treatment of gambling disorder (GD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is often highlighted in scientific literature. This study aimed to test predictions about the associations of temperament and character in chronic AUD patients with comorbid GD symptoms and without them. MethodsChronic AUD patients enrolled from an inpatient clinic were divided in two groups based on cluster analysis, AUD patients with (AUD + GD group: n = 30) and without (AUD group: n = 68) GD symptoms. Severity of GD symptoms and personality dimensions (Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory Revised, TCI-R) were assessed. Associations of tested variables were analysed with analysis of covariance, one-sample and independent sample t-tests. ResultsGD symptoms proved to be a clustering factor in terms of personality, where AUD + GD group expressed a more maladaptive personality profile. Compared to Hungarian normative TCI-R scores, both patient groups showed elevated levels of Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking with lower scores of Self-directedness, while the AUD + GD group scored lower on Persistence and Cooperation as well. The AUD + GD group reported significantly higher levels of Harm Avoidance, with lower scores of Reward Dependence compared to the AUD group. DiscussionComorbid GD symptom severity is an important factor in chronic AUD, where AUD patients with comorbid GD symptoms exhibited a more maladaptive personality constellation than singular AUD patients. These emphasize the need of special attention for comorbid GD symptoms in AUD, since treatment recommendations and prognosis for them may also differ.

Highlights

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and gambling disorder (GD) are documented to be highly comorbid [1], and are accompanied by shared aetiology, neurobiological features [2], psychiatric comorbidity [3], vulnerability factors and psychological risk factors [4]
Two-Step cluster analysis was performed with all temperament and character variables assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI)-R, severity of alcohol misuse measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and gambling symptom severity measured with the South Oaks Gambling Scale (SOGS) as predictor variables
Gambling symptom severity was evaluated by the South Oaks Gambling Scale (SOGS) and personality dimensions were measured by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R) to identify whether comorbid GD symptoms are related to a more maladaptive personality constellation

Summary

Introduction

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and gambling disorder (GD) are documented to be highly comorbid [1], and are accompanied by shared aetiology, neurobiological features [2], psychiatric comorbidity [3], vulnerability factors and psychological risk factors [4]. Severity of GD symptoms and personality dimensions (Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory Revised, TCI-R) were assessed. Compared to Hungarian normative TCI-R scores, both patient groups showed elevated levels of Harm Avoidance and Novelty Seeking with lower scores of Self-directedness, while the AUD + GD group scored lower on Persistence and Cooperation as well. Discussion: Comorbid GD symptom severity is an important factor in chronic AUD, where AUD patients with comorbid GD symptoms exhibited a more maladaptive personality constellation than singular AUD patients. These emphasize the need of special attention for comorbid GD symptoms in AUD, since treatment recommendations and prognosis for them may differ

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