Non-pathological Gamblers Research Articles

Pattern and Prevalence of Internet Gambling Behaviors among Bet9ja users in Sokoto Metropolis, Northwest Nigeria

Background: Nigeria has seen an unparallel surge in the number and sophistication of gambling activities taking place on a daily basis. The scope of the gambling investigation has expanded to include online lotteries, promotions, pool betting, sports betting, and casino slots. Nigeria leads the African continent in the number of Internet gamblers. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among Bet9ja users in the Sokoto metropolis. The participants were selected using a cluster sampling technique. The biodata and South Oak Gambling Screening questionnaire were administered. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 for Windows and P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 390 participants were studied, the majority were single males, between the ages of 18 and 39 years, with a mean age and standard deviation of 28.5 ± 7.3 years. We found 4 (1%) of the respondents to be highly skilled (social class I) workers, while the semi-skilled (social class IV) workers amounted to 155 (39.7%) of the participants, and 61 (15.6%) were unemployed. Seventy-five percentage of the participants were probable pathological gamblers, with 263 (89.5%) being males and 31 (10.5%) females. Furthermore, 96 (24.6%) of the participants were nonpathological gamblers, among whom, 77 (80.2%) were males, while 19 (19.8%) were females and this was statistically significant, P = 0.019. Conclusion: Single males and young adults were likely to experience pathological Internet gambling, many of whom were semi-skilled. We also found that the male gender was significantly associated with probable pathological Internet gambling.

Impulsiveness and cyclothymic traits of affective temperament as predictors of risky gambling behavior.

To investigate bipolar traits and impulsiveness in pathological gamblers, compared to non-pathological gamblers and non-gambling general population. To investigate interaction between traits of affective temperament, impulsiveness and the severity of pathological gambling. 139 participants (63 women, 76 men; mean age: 30.32; SD = 10.69) were included in the study. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale was used to evaluate impulsiveness and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego Autoquestionnaire was used to evaluate affective temperamental traits. The participants were also screened for bipolar affective disorder spectrum using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire and the Hypomania Checklist-32.The Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) was used to evaluate the severity of pathologicalgambling in the assessed population. Polish versions of the questionnaires were filled out anonymously via the internet. Pathological gamblers (N =36) scored higher on ‛Motor impulsiveness', ‛Cyclothymic'and ‛Irritability'subscales versus non-pathological gamblers (N =61) and non-gamblers (N = 42). Cyclothymic and motor impulsiveness significantly predicted CPGI scores. Motor impulsiveness was found to moderate the influence of cyclothymic affective temperamental traits on pathological gambling. Our data support prior reports of higher impulsivity traits and traits from the bipolar spectrum among pathological gamblers. The results indicate that the influence of affective temperamental traits on pathological gambling severity is moderated by impulsiveness.

Pathological gambling and romantic relationships: The perception of the members of the couple regarding the quality of their relationship

Pathological gambling is a relevant condition that negatively affects the family system of gamblers. The aim of the present study was to explore the specific qualitative aspects of romantic relationship and the style of romantic attachment of pathological gamblers and their partners. Thirty-five couples with a partner that had been diagnosed with Gambling Disorder and 45 control couples were recruited for the present study. All participants filled out a battery of questionnaires aimed at assessing the quality of their couple relationship and their romantic attachment. A series of multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted. Results showed that both pathological gamblers and their partners reported a worse quality of their romantic relationship than partners of a control group, but this is stronger especially for partners of pathological gamblers. In fact, pathological gamblers reported higher levels of conflict and lower levels of help and security than partners of the control group. Indeed, partners of pathological gamblers reported a worse quality of couple relationship on all dimensions investigated: they reported higher levels of conflict and lower levels of companionship, help, security, and closeness than partners involved in a relationship with non-pathological gamblers. Moreover, both pathological gamblers and their partners reported a more insecure romantic attachment, both anxious and avoidance, than did partners of the control group. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Comparison of gambling causes with Cyprus and Turkey born gambling addicts

Objective: The aim of this study to find out whether if there was different causes of gambling addiction with gambling addicts, between Cyprus born (CB) and Turkey born (TB) individuals. Methods: Thirty CB and 30 TB pathological gambling addict (PGA) and 30 CB and 30 TB non-pathological gambling addict (NPGA) individuals were included as control group in study. Sociodemographic Data Form, South Oaks Gambling Screening Test (SOCT) and Gam-bling Motives Scale (GMS) were used as data collection tools. Results: TB subjects in the control group (SOCT

Pathological Gambling among Italian Nursing Students

PurposeTo investigate the role of psychiatric dimensions, behavioral or substance addictions and demographical variables as determinants of pathological gambling among nursing students. DesignMulticenter cross-sectional study. MethodsFrom June to October 2015 a survey was carried out among Italian Nursing students. Data were collected using a six-section tool. FindingsNursing students who completed the survey numbered 1083, 902 (83.3%) had some problems with gambling and 29 (2.7%) showed pathological gambling. Percentage of pathological gambling was significantly associate with illicit drug/alcohol use (65.5%; p=0.001) and with male gender (58.6%) comparing to student nurse with non-pathological gambling (20%) and those with some problem (24.2%). Significant main effect was observed for IAT score (Beta=0.119, t=3.28, p=0.001): higher IAT scores were associated with higher SOGS scores. ConclusionsItalian nursing students have some problems with gambling and pathological gambling problem, and males are those who have more problems. Results might be useful for faculties of health professionals to identify students at risk in an early stage, to direct prevention tailored interventions. Clinical relevanceNursing faculties should be aware of the prevalence of Gambling among students.Prevention interventions should be planned to minimize the risk of gambling behavior in the future nurses' health care workers.

Relationship between pathological gambling, alexithymia, and gambling type.

The aim of this study is to see if: (i) alexithymia is associated with PG and with the severity of gambling behavior; (ii) alexithymia is associated with strategic and non-strategic gambling. Two hundred and twenty-six gamblers were recruited in different gambling locations. First, pathological gamblers (PGs) (n = 106) were compared to non-pathological gamblers (NPGs) (n = 120). Second, strategic gamblers (n = 92) were compared to non-strategic gamblers (n = 96). After controlling for being or not depressed, PGs have significantly higher alexithymia scores. Alexithymia is positively correlated to the intensity of gambling behavior and associated with PG: being alexithymic (OR = 4.21, SEB = .32, p < .001), "difficulty identifying feelings" (OR = 1.07, SEB = .03, p = .038), and "externally-oriented thinking" (OR = 1.07, SEB = .03, p = .026) factors. Nevertheless, while alexithymia is associated with PG in strategic gamblers (being alexithymic (OR = 6.80, SEB = .50 p < .001) and "difficulty identifying feelings" (OR = 1.12, SEB = .05 p = .026) factor), this is not the case in non-strategic gamblers. In the latter, only depression is associated with PG (OR = 3.43, SEB = .50 p = .013). The results highlight the importance of taking into account the gambling type in the relationship between alexithymia, depression, and PG. In non-strategic PGs, specific therapies targeting depression could be appropriate, while for strategic PGs, specific psychotherapeutic techniques like body-centered psychotherapy could help them to differentiate feelings from bodily sensations. (Am J Addict 2017;26:152-160).

Sensation seeking in a community sample of French gamblers: Comparison between strategic and non-strategic gamblers

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between sensation seeking and gambling disorder (GD) in a community sample of gamblers (when controlling for the effect of substance use, gender and age) and see whether sensation seeking scores depend on the gambling activity when comparing strategic and non-strategic gamblers. A total of 380 gamblers was recruited. First, pathological gamblers (PGs) (n =143) were compared to non-pathological gamblers (NPGs) (n =237). Second, strategic gamblers (n =93) were compared to non-strategic gamblers (n =110). Sociodemographic data, gambling behavior (SOGS, DSM-IV), tobacco and alcohol use (CAGE), and sensation seeking (SSS) were evaluated. PGs have higher boredom susceptibility scores than NPGs and this factor is associated with GD. Nevertheless, the relationship between sensation seeking and GD depends on the gambling activity. In fact, sensation seeking is associated with GD in strategic gamblers only. PGs playing strategic games display different profiles from non-strategic PGs. Thus, factors associated with GD differ when the gambling activity is taken into account. These findings are consistent with the idea of it being essential to identify clinically distinct subgroups of PGs in the treatment of GD.

Gambling Behavior Severity and Psychological, Family, and Contextual Variables: A Comparative Analysis

This study compares 3 groups consisting of individuals with no gambling problem, those with some problem, and pathological gamblers, according to the following 4 levels of analysis: social context (i.e., accessibility and social acceptance), family context (i.e., family of origin issues, family functioning, and family quality of life), marital issues (i.e., marital satisfaction and adjustment), and individual issues (i.e., congruence, differentiation of self, and psychopathological symptoms). The study protocol of 8 standardized scales, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and 6 independent questions was administered to 331 adults. The main results indicate that although the 2 groups of nonpathological gamblers exhibited differing levels of gambling severity, they did not differ statistically, suggesting that gambling-related problems were only evident when a pathological level was attained. The pathological gamblers exhibited a greater number of family, marital, and individual difficulties compared to the other 2 groups.

The Effect of Research Compensation in the Form of Cheques on Gamblers&amp;#x0027; Cash-in Behaviour

A view that is commonly held by Research Ethics Board members is that offering money as research compensation has the potential to unduly influence or even coerce subjects into participating in studies. Because money is the core resource of gambling activity, gamblers with financial needs might show an increased propensity to take part in research that offers financial compensation. We hypothesized that pathological gamblers at electronic gambling machines in venues outside of casinos would tend to cash in their compensation cheque faster than non-pathological gamblers would. The current results support this hypothesis. It is therefore necessary to understand gamblers' motivations related to research activities and the ways in which the research context can sustain rational decision making when gamblers consider taking part in scientific studies.

The effects of belief in good luck and counterfactual thinking on gambling behavior.

Background and AimsOne’s belief in good luck, and belief that it is a personal trait, could play a crucial role in gambling behavior, and can lead gamblers to have an irrational anticipation to win and to over-generalize their subjective sense of control. And upward counterfactual thinking has been considered to be a factor that offsets those irrational beliefs. This study examined the effects of belief in good luck and of upward counterfactual thinking on gambling behavior.MethodsThe subjects of the study were 52 college students who had been classified as non-problematic and non-pathological gamblers. They were assigned into one of two groups, distinguished by having either high (n = 25) or low (n = 27) levels of self-perception of luck, as determined by their scores on the Belief in Good Luck (BIGL) Scale. The subjects were assigned to different groups according to their reported experience of upward counterfactual thinking.ResultsWe found that those who had high BIGL scores spent more money on gambling than those who had low BIGL scores. Moreover, after taking into account the upward counterfactual thinking, the subjects with high BIGL scores showed a dramatic decrease in their expectations of winning.DiscussionThe results indicate that to perceive luck as a personal and internal trait could affect gambling, which is one of the cognitive errors for gambling addiction. On the other hand, given that upward counterfactual thinking plays an important role in reducing cognitive errors, it could act as a protective factor against gambling addiction.

Broadening an understanding of problem gambling: The lifestyle consumption community of sports betting

This paper presents a study offering insight and understanding of the emerging concept of lifestyle consumption community in the context of sports betting in Australia. Recent research has identified the utility of socio-cultural approaches for understanding gambling, broadening the scope of research beyond an individual psychology perspective. Heretofore, the concept of ‘problem gambling’ has mostly focused on pathological gamblers. However, scholars in the field have argued for a repositioning of the framing of gambling. This study utilizes an interpretivist research approach, featuring friendship group interviews with young adult non-pathological gamblers engaging in sports betting aged 18–30. The findings offer insights on the locus, power structure, purpose, marketing potential, time span, structure, and social position of lifestyle consumption communities. The utility of consumer culture theory research for offering a broader understanding of gambling is identified. Implications for marketing management, consumer culture theory, and ideas for future research are discussed.

Impaired Decision Making is Associated with Poor Inhibition Control in Nonpathological Lottery Gamblers

Previous studies by questionnaires have demonstrated that lottery gamblers who have not meet the criteria of pathological gambler show greater gambling acceptability. However, few empirical evidence of whether such nonpathological lottery gamblers (NPLGs) display the same impairments of decision making with pathological gamblers has been found so far. In present study, NPLGs and matched controls (MCs) were asked to perform the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and inter-temporal choice task (ICT). We found that compared to MCs, NPLGs displayed much lower IGT scores, net gains and proportions of advantageous decks in the IGT task and much higher percentages of trials during which smaller-but-sooner rewards were chosen in the ICT. These findings indicate that NPLGs display much more risky and impulsive decision makings, just like pathological gamblers in the previous studies. Next, the Go/NoGo task was employed to explore the role of response inhibition in the impairment of decision making in NPLGs. We found that NPLGs did show much higher commission errors compared to MCs. Moreover, IGT scores, net gain and proportions of advantageous decks were significantly negatively correlated with commission errors, which indicates that poor response inhibition might be involved in the impairments of decision making in NPLGs. To our knowledge, we provided the first empirical evidence of impairment of decision making and its cognitive mechanisms in NPLGs.

To play or not to play: A personal dilemma in pathological gambling

Research has shown that healthy people would rather avoid losses than gamble for even higher gains. On the other hand, research on pathological gamblers (PGs) demonstrates that PGs are more impaired than non-pathological gamblers in choice under risk and uncertainty. Here, we investigate loss aversion by using a rigorous and well-established paradigm from the field of economics, in conjunction with personality traits, by using self-report measures for PGs under clinical treatment. Twenty pathological gamblers, at the earlier and later stages of clinical treatment, were matched to 20 non-gamblers (NG). They played a “flip coin task” by deciding across 256 trials whether to accept or reject a 50–50 bet with a variable amount of gains and losses. They completed questionnaires aimed at assessing impulsivity. Compared to NG, pathological gamblers, specifically those in the later stages of therapy, were more loss averse and accepted a lower number of gambles with a positive expected value, whereas their impulsivity traits were significantly higher. This study shows for the first time that changes in loss aversion, but not in personality traits, are associated with the time course of pathology. These findings can be usefully employed in the fields of both gambling addiction and decision-making.

The Impact of Alexithymia on Pathological Gamblers’ Decision Making

We investigated whether alexithymia is at the root of the decision-making deficit classically reported in pathological gamblers. Alexithymia has been shown to be a recurrent personality trait of pathological gamblers and to impair the decision-making abilities of nonpathological gamblers, but no previous studies have investigated whether alexithymia significantly affects pathological gamblers' decision making. Although investigations of pathological gamblers typically have studied those seeking treatment, most pathological gamblers do not seek treatment. Thus, to study people representative of the general population of pathological gamblers, we conducted our study in "sportsbook" casinos with a small sample of gamblers who were not seeking treatment. We recruited gamblers in sportsbooks and classified them based on their scores on the South Oaks Gambling Screen and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale: 3 groups of pathological gamblers (6 alexithymic, 8 possibly alexithymic, and 6 nonalexithymic) and 8 healthy controls. All of the participants completed an adaptation of the Iowa Gambling Task. The alexithymic group chose less advantageously on the task than the other groups. The severity of the deficit in decision-making abilities was related to the severity of alexithymia, even when we controlled for the effects of anxiety and depression. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that alexithymia might be a critical personality trait underlying pathological gamblers' decision-making deficits.

Neurological correlates of slot machine win size in pathological gamblers

The present study examined the neurological correlates of slot machine gambling by pathological and nonpathological gamblers while undergoing an fMRI scanning procedure. Twenty-two total participants were exposed to a series of losses, small wins, and large wins on a computerized simulated slot machine. Results indicate that the two types of gamblers responded differently to the various game options, and that an apparent “dose effect” exists when small and big wins are compared for pathological gamblers. Specifically more neural activation occurred in the dopaminergic pathway under conditions of large wins. These data suggest that a non-drug substance such as gambling may mimic typical drug-dose effects shown in previous literature. Implications for the treatment of pathological gamblers are discussed.

Alcohol affects video lottery terminal (VLT) gambling behaviors and cognitions differently.

People frequently combine alcohol use and gambling. However, our understanding of the effects of alcohol on gambling behavior is limited, both in terms of what the effects are and how they occur. The effects of a moderately intoxicating dose of alcohol (i.e., a blood alcohol concentration of .06 g%) on the video lottery terminal (VLT) gambling behaviors and cognitions of community-recruited nonpathological (n = 30) and probable pathological gamblers (n = 30) were compared. Alcohol increased the rate of double up betting (i.e., choosing to play a bonus game, after a winning video poker hand, which involves trying to pick a higher ranked card than the dealer's card from among 5 face down cards) of probable pathological gamblers, but did not influence their irrational beliefs about VLT play. Alcohol maintained the irrational beliefs about VLT play of nonpathological gamblers, but did not influence their gambling behaviors. Results are consistent with a growing body of research finding that gambling cognitions have an equivocal role in explaining actual gambling behaviors. Potential mechanisms for the observed effects are discussed. Applied implications discussed include: educating regular VLT players about the effects of alcohol on irrational gambling cognitions; reconsidering policies and practices that make alcohol available where machine gambling takes place; and targeting even moderate alcohol use in the treatment of gambling problems.

Validation of a Spanish adaptation of the Gambling Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

The US Spanish-speaking population has rapidly increased in recent years and there is a need for valid Spanish measures to assess gambling behaviour. This study reports on the development of a Spanish measure of self-efficacy to control gambling behaviour (Gambling Self-Efficacy Questionnaire [GSEQ]; May, Whelan, Steenbergh, & Meyers, 2003). One hundred and eighty-seven Spanish-speaking individuals residing in the south-east United States completed the 16-item measure. The GSEQ-Spanish version (GSEQ-S) showed high internal consistency (α = 0.99) and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Factor analytic data supported a single factor structure similar to that found with the English version. As expected, pathological gamblers scored significantly lower on the GSEQ-S than non-pathological gamblers. The results provide initial psychometric support for the GSEQ-S and suggest that the measure can be used as a valid assessment of gambling self-efficacy among Spanish-speaking gamblers. Further evaluation of the psychometric properties of this instrument is suggested.

Impulsive sensation seeking and gambling practice among a sample of online poker players: Comparison between non pathological, problem and pathological gamblers

The aims of this study are to assess impulsive sensation seeking among online poker players and to study the links between impulsive sensation seeking and gambling practice.One hundred and eighty (180) regular online poker players (i.e. playing at least once a week for a minimum duration of one year) completed three self-report scales on line assessing pathological gambling (SOGS), poker practice (poker questionnaire) and impulsive sensation seeking (ImpSS scale). Based on the SOGS scores, participants were divided into three groups: non-pathological gamblers (n=112), problem gamblers (n=37) and pathological gamblers (n=31).The impulsive sensation seeking scores of all the poker players are high. They all display high levels of sensation seeking, regardless of their intensity of gambling. However, pathological gamblers are more impulsive than problem and non-pathological gamblers. Impulsivity is a good predictor for pathological gambling.Online poker players are high sensation seekers who gamble to experience strong feelings and arousal, whereas impulsivity plays an important role in developing and maintaining pathological gambling. This study underlines the psychological specificities of online poker players and the need to take into account impulsive sensation seeking not only in the research on pathological gambling poker players but also in the development of preventive action.

Validation of a Spanish translation of the Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire.

The U.S. Spanish-speaking population has rapidly increased in recent decades and there is a need for psychometrically supported assessment measures for researchers and clinicians who work with this population. A Spanish version of a self-report measure of gamblers' cognitive distortions [Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire (GBQ); Steenbergh, Meyers, Whelan, & May, 2002] was translated and psychometrically evaluated in a sample of 219 Spanish-speaking Hispanics residing in the southeast United States. The GBQ-S showed high internal consistency (α = .95). Factor analytic data supported a factor structure similar to the initial psychometric evaluation of the English version. Probable pathological gamblers reported significantly more cognitive distortions on the GBQ-S than nongamblers and nonpathological gamblers.

Cognitive Distortions, Anxiety, and Depression Among Regular and Pathological Gambling Online Poker Players

The aims were to assess cognitive distortions and psychological distress (anxiety and depression) among online poker players of different levels of gambling intensity (non-pathological gamblers [NPG], problem gamblers [PbG], and pathological gamblers [PG]), and to examine the relationship between these variables and gambling pathology. Overall, 245 regular online poker players recruited on an Internet forum completed online self-report scales assessing pathological gambling (South Oaks Gambling Screen [SOGS]), psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) and cognitive distortions (Gambling-Related Cognition Scale). Based on their SOGS scores, poker players were ranked into three groups: NPG (n=146), PbG (n=55), and PG (n=44). All poker players appeared to be more anxious than depressive. PG exhibited higher levels of depression and anxiety than did PbG and NPG. Cognitive distortions also significantly discriminated PG from PbG and NPG. A regression model showed that the perceived inability to stop gambling, the illusion of control, depression (HADS D), and anxiety were good predictors for pathological gambling among poker players. Our results suggest that cognitive distortions play an important role in the development and maintenance of gambling pathology. This study also underlines the role of anxiety and depression in pathological gambling among poker players. It seems relevant to take these elements into account in the research, prevention, and treatment of pathological gambling poker players.