The quality of sexual life and personality of men addicted to gambling

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In Poland, every second Pole declares that he participated in this type of activity at least once. Addiction affects many other forms of human activity including sexuality. The aim of this research is to determine a connection of the quality of sexual life, undertaken sexual activity and personality traits with gambling addiction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: there were 95 adult male gamblers included in the research. The research group comprised 50 men addicted to gambling, the control group consisted of 45 non-dependent men. The research was conducted by means of: the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Sexual Quality of Life-Male questionnaire and the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire-Male. RESULTS: a negative, statistically significant connection between the intensification of gambling addiction and undertaken sexual activity (p = 0.026) and a general tendency of the decrease in sexual life along with the increase in addiction (p = 0.017) were determined. Also, a significant statistically positive connection between the intensification of a neuroticism feature and a tendency to gambling addiction (p = 0.003) was demonstrated. Additionally, the research results show that the increase in obtained results at the level of gambling addition corresponded to lower obtained results at the level of conscientiousness (p = 0.001) and agreeableness (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: men addicted to gambling are characterised by a low level of the intensification of agreeableness and conscientiousness features in comparison to non-dependent people. There is a statistically significant connection between elevated neuroticism and a tendency to gambling addiction. The quality of sexual life in people addicted to gambling decreases along with the increase in the intensification of addiction.