gambling addiction thesis statement

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Gambling essay sample, example.

Addictions have always been a problem to humanity. Many people tend to explain them as weaknesses, sicknesses, or on the contrary, something not worth attention. People tend to think that addictions are mostly connected to substance consumption; everyone is aware of alcohol or drug addiction, for example. Recently, there have also been talks about Internet addiction, video game addiction, sexual addiction, selfie addiction, and so on. Although they pose a serious threat to one’s mental and physical wellbeing as well, rather often they are not taken as seriously as substance abuse. Among them is also gambling addiction, which can ruin lives, and can be difficult to detect and treat.

So, what exactly is gambling addiction, and why is it considered to be so dangerous? Generally speaking, gambling addiction is a compulsive act of gambling. In other words, occasional gambling is not an addiction; systematic, frequent, and harmful gambling is. Compulsive gambling occurs regardless of a person’s financial status, family’s attitude, or work-related problems; a gambling addict will feel the urge to gamble even if he/she is already bankrupt, divorced, and fired—entirely for the thrill of the act of gambling itself. According to the American National Council on Problem Gambling, only in the United States, there are over two million people who meet the criteria of pathological gambling (meaning full-scale addiction), and about five more million whose gambling habits can be described as “problem gambling” ( LiveStrong.com ).

So, there is “healthy” gambling (meaning a gambling person does it for fun, has full control over this activity, and never harms themselves or other people through gambling, usually stopping when a money loss limit is reached, or earlier), and there is compulsive gambling; the latter possesses a number of attributes which allow to diagnose it rather accurately. These attributes are: constantly thinking about gambling, or about where to find more money to gamble (including theft and fraud); asking other people for money to continue gambling; gambling in an attempt to recover lost money; similarly to substance addiction, a pathological gambler needs the increasing amounts of money to feel the same thrill; gambling mostly is done to cope with difficult feelings such as anxiety, guilt, depression, or to get distracted from existing problems (including the gambling problem as well); lying to one’s family members about the scales of one’s gambling, or about the fact of gambling itself; losing precious relationships, jobs, reputations, and so on because of gambling ( MayoClinic ).

As it can be seen, gambling possesses attributes rather typical for any kind of addiction, so the reasons standing behind it may also resemble those causing other forms of addictive behavior. In particular, gambling may help a person escape from feelings of depression and anxiety; a gambler may dream of winning a significant sum of money, thus instantly increasing their own self-esteem, reputation, financial status, and achieving the sensation of accomplishing something important in life. Escaping from mundane reality may also be the subconscious purpose of a gambler; shiny casinos, loud arcades, being surrounded by people who occasionally actually win money—all this can create an illusion of welfare, luxury, and belonging to an elite society. Or, as it is in human nature to look for excitement (meaning thrilling or pleasant emotions and “the taste of life” they cause), gambling is often seen as a source of such emotions. Anticipating a jackpot, a gambler’s body produces large amounts of hormones responsible for pleasure and thrill (dopamine and adrenaline, for instance) causing a natural “high” not too much different from the one caused by substances. Besides, western society tolerates gambling much more than other forms of addiction, such as alcoholism or drug abuse. In fact, gambling is often seen as something thrilling but not dangerous, and mass media and advertising agencies only contribute to this image, producing pictures of a fashionable and stylish life connected to gambling; besides, many young people get introduced to gambling at a rather early age—for example, by playing cards or bingo with their parents; these family activities may look rather innocent, but it is important to remember they may also help a young person develop addiction at some point ( HealthyPlace ). If possible, it is better for parents to spend time with their children in some other ways.

Gambling is a form of addiction no different from substance abuse. It is a huge problem for the western world—just in the United States, there are roughly seven million people with varying degrees of pathological gambling behavior. Possessing a number of symptoms similar to less tolerated forms of addiction such as drug abuse, gambling is still seen as a relatively harmless activity. Mass media portrays gambling as an element of luxury, and many people having personal problems and trying to escape from them visit casinos, attempting to run away from their mundane lives. American society would benefit from gambling being treated as a form of behavior that can cause harm to both gamblers and their family members and friends, as it is already happens with alcoholism or drug addiction.

Works Cited

• Bergeson, Boyd. “What Causes Gambling Addiction?” LIVESTRONG.COM. Leaf Group, 17 Aug. 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
• “Compulsive Gambling.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
• Gluck, Samantha. “Psychology of Gambling: Why Do People Gamble?” HealthyPlace. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

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Exploring experiences of psychological treatments for gambling addiction

--> Marvin, Joshua (2023) Exploring experiences of psychological treatments for gambling addiction. DClinPsy thesis, University of Sheffield.

Literature Review Gambling addiction is now a growing public health concern. However, our understanding of how individuals experience psychological treatment for gambling addiction is limited. It is important to understand such experiences more deeply, particularly as treatment guidance is under development. This qualitative review explored individual experiences of psychological treatment for gambling and what may be found helpful or challenging. A structured search was performed using three research databases. Eight studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included. These were analysed using a method called thematic synthesis. Four themes about individual’s experience of psychological treatment for gambling addiction were found: getting the treatment you need is difficult, treatment can make a difference, obstacles along the way, and gaining treatment perspectives. Participants experienced challenges when seeking and accessing psychological treatment. However, it was found that psychological treatment can be helpful. These helpful experiences were not without both practical and internal challenges. Through their lived experiences, participants gained treatment perspectives. Such unique perspectives informed their knowledge and understanding of different gambling treatments and ongoing recovery from gambling addiction. These findings hold clinical implications and future recommendations for research. It was recommended to assess treatment accessibility, availability of support, psychological treatment approaches, helpful techniques, and online treatment delivery, including support networks, and recognising the value of lived experience was considered important. Future research should aim to focus on better quality qualitative studies which explore individual experiences of psychological treatment, comparing various gambling treatments, and reasons why individuals may drop out of psychology treatment. Empirical Project The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic led to significant impacts on individuals’ daily lives. Individuals living with a gambling addiction were particularly vulnerable in the pandemic. Psychological treatment guidance is currently under development, and qualitative research exploring such experiences in the context of the pandemic is limited. This study aimed to make sense of individual experiences of psychological treatment for adults living with a gambling addiction in the United Kingdom in the context of the pandemic. The study analysed data using a method called interpretative phenomenological analysis. Eight participants took part, and semi-structured interviews were used. Participants were recruited from the Northern Gambling Service and had received psychological treatment since the pandemic. Qualitative findings included three themes: out of control, taking back control, and a gambling shadow remains. Most participants experienced significant negative challenges in their relationship with gambling during the pandemic. Participants sought psychological treatment, which helped them limit their gambling harms. Therapeutic relationships and family support further supported this. Participants spoke about ongoing vulnerabilities in their gambling recovery. Further gambling harms were risked by continued exposure to gambling advertising and limited wider gambling support available. The findings have implications for healthcare and policy. It is important to screen to see if individuals experienced difficulties with their gambling during the pandemic. This research supported the delivery of flexible psychological treatment. Wider support and further reviews of limiting gambling exposure and gambling harms are needed. Future research should explore the experiences of harder-to-reach participants and different treatment options.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Gambling Addiction — My Gambling Addiction and its Impact

My Gambling Addiction and Its Impact

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Health-Related, Social and Cognitive Factors Explaining Gambling Addiction

Javier esparza-reig.

1 Department of Psychology, Universidad Europea de Valencia, Passeig de l’Albereda, 7, 46010 Valencia, Spain; [email protected]

Manuel Martí-Vilar

2 Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain; [email protected]

Francisco González-Sala

3 Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universitat de València, 46010 Valencia, Spain; [email protected]

César Merino-Soto

4 Instituto de Investigación de Psicología, Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Av. Tomás Marsano 232, Lima 34, Peru; ra.moc.oohay@xayakis

Gregorio Hernández-Salinas

5 Zongolica-Extensión Tezonapa, Tecnológico Nacional de México, Km. 4 Carr. a La Compañia S/N, Tepetitlanapa, Veracruz 95005, Mexico; xm.moc.evil@81_81_oirogerg

Filiberto Toledano-Toledano

6 Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Basada en Evidencias, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Dr. Márquez 162, Doctores, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City 06720, Mexico

7 Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria en Salud, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, México-Xochimilco 289, Arenal de Guadalupe, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14389, Mexico

8 Dirección de Investigación y Diseminación del Conocimiento, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias e Innovación para la Formación de Comunidad Científica, INDEHUS, Periférico Sur 4860, Arenal de Guadalupe, Tlalpan, Mexico City 14389, Mexico

Associated Data

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors without undue reservation.

Background: Gambling addiction was the first addictive behavior not related to substance use that was recognized by the DSM-5. It shares diagnostics and comorbidity with other addictions. Extensive studies have investigated the clinical variables involved, but there have been fewer studies of related cognitive and social variables. In this research, an integrative model was developed to advance the understanding of gambling addiction, and an explanatory model was created based on the concept of cognitive distortions. Methods: The sample comprised 258 university students (59.5% women) with a mean age of 20.95 years (SD = 2.19). A series of questionnaires were administered to measure gambling addiction, depression, coping with stress, prosocial behavior, susceptibility to priming and cognitive distortions about gambling. In addition, correlations, multiple linear regressions and a simple mediation model of these variables were analyzed. Results: The results indicated that gambling addiction was correlated with a variety of clinical, social and cognitive factors. These factors contributed to a model that predicted 16.8% of the variance in gambling addiction and another model using cognitive distortions as a predictor and the maximum bet as a mediator that predicted 34.5% of the variance. Conclusions: The study represents an advance by developing a theoretical model from an integrative perspective and providing a new explanatory model. The findings of this research are of great importance in the development of prevention and intervention programs for gambling addiction.

1. Introduction

Gambling addiction is a maladaptive and persistent gambling pattern that generates lasting clinical problems [ 1 ]. Proof of the importance of this pathology is that it was the first addictive behavior that does not involve substance use that was recognized in the DSM-5 [ 2 ].

In the DSM-5 [ 3 ], gambling disorder is included as a substance-related and addictive disorder; it is characterized by gambling behavior that persists over time, is maladaptive and generates clinically significant distress that is not explained by the presence of a manic episode. As stated in criterion A, a person with pathological gambling shows at least four of the following criteria in the last 12 months: 1. He or she feels the need to gamble increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired excitement. 2. He or she is nervous or irritated when trying to reduce or quit gambling. 3. He or she has made repeated efforts to control, reduce or abandon gambling, always without success. 4. Often, his or her mind is occupied with gambling. 5. He or she often gambles when he or she feels uneasy. 6. After losing money in gambling, he or she usually comes back another day to try to win. 7. He or she lies to hide his or her degree of involvement in gambling. 8. He or she jeopardized or lost an important relationship, a job or an academic or professional career because of gambling. 9. He or she relies on others to give him or her money to alleviate his or her desperate financial situation caused by gambling.

According to the indicators included in criterion A, gambling is considered problematic when the person meets between one and three indicators. With four or more criteria met, gambling is considered to be disordered; the disorder is considered mild when the individual meets between four and five indicators, moderate when he or she meets between six and seven indicators and severe when he or she meets all indicators.

Problem gambling and gambling disorder present a similar diagnosis and high comorbidity with substance addictions. Specifically, pathological gambling shares some characteristics with substance addictions, such as craving, loss of control, withdrawal syndrome and tolerance, understood as the need to play or consume more [ 4 ], in addition to not being related to an obsessive-compulsive disorder [ 5 , 6 ].

Additionally, compared to the general population, people with a possible gambling disorder or problem gambling tend to present a higher expenditure of money wagered in a single day [ 7 ]. Responsible gaming programs are used in many places to prevent, or at least reduce, gambling problems [ 8 ]. Research in this area reinforces the importance of establishing public health policies for the prevention and reduction of gambling problems [ 9 ]. Choliz and Saiz-Ruiz [ 10 ] carried out a review of these issues and designed a proposal for government regulation of gambling in Spanish society.

1.1. Current State of Gambling Addiction

Calado and Griffiths [ 11 ], studying this problem, carried out a systematic review of the literature to analyze the prevalence of problem gambling. This review took articles published since 2000 from any country that published prevalence rates. They found that between 0.1 and 5.8% of participants had presented problem gambling in the last year and that between 0.7 and 6.5% had presented so throughout their lives. Analyzing the prevalence by continents, they found that in North America, the figure ranged between 2 to 5%; in Asia, it ranged between 0.5 and 5.8%; in Oceania, it ranged between 0.4 and 0.7%; and in Europe, it ranged between 0.1 and 3.4%. Calado et al. [ 12 ] conducted a similar review focusing on the prevalence of problem gambling in adolescents since 2000. In the studies in that review, between 0.2 and 12.3% of participants met the criteria for problem gambling of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV adapted format for Juveniles (DSM-IV-J) [ 13 ] and other instruments; however, this study did not differentiate between problem gambling and pathological gambling when analyzing the prevalence.

In the Spanish context, according to data from the survey on Alcohol and Drugs in Spain, EDADES 2022 [ 14 ], 1.7% of those surveyed between 15 and 64 years of age presented problem gambling or gambling disorder according to the DSM-5 criteria. This percentage was higher for men (2.4%) than women (0.9%). Considering the number of DSM-5 indicators, 2.2% presented problem gambling by meeting between one and three indicators. On the other hand, 0.4% presented a possible gambling disorder by meeting four or more DSM-5 indicators. Extrapolating these data to the Spanish population between 15 and 64 years of age, 1.3% could present problem gambling, and 0.4% could have a possible gambling disorder.

In the case of adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age, according to a 2021 survey, 17.9% could have a gambling disorder based on the answers given in the Lie/Bet scale by Johnson et al. [ 15 ]. Extrapolating these data to the entire population between 14 and 18 years of age, 3.4% could have a possible gambling disorder, and this percentage would be higher for men (5.0%) than women (1.9%).

1.2. Relationship of Gambling Addiction to Clinical and Health Factors

Given the relevance of gambling problems, psychologists have studied their relationship with various constructs, especially with psychopathologies and other health-related factors. Depression is the mental health pathology with the highest prevalence rate worldwide [ 16 ] and shows one of the strongest connections with gambling addiction. These two pathologies have high comorbidity, which makes the study of their relationship highly relevant for understanding problem gambling [ 17 ]. Depression directly correlates with gambling behavior, and, deepening this relationship, it has been found that people with gambling addiction problems have higher rates of depression and that depression acts as a predictor of gambling addiction [ 17 , 18 ].

In relation to stress, there are differences in the ways in which people cope with stress depending on whether they have problems with gambling [ 19 ]. Gambling problems appear to be associated both with higher levels of maladaptive techniques of coping with stress [ 20 ] and with lower levels of adaptive coping techniques [ 21 ]. In the clinical setting, people with gambling addiction also seem to cope with stressful situations using maladaptive techniques, such as trying to avoid stress-generating situations instead of facing them to find solutions [ 22 , 23 ]. The cognitive distortions that people have toward gambling and their maladaptive strategies for coping with stress seem to mediate the relationship between depression and gambling addiction. Therefore, when both pathologies occur comorbidly, one possible avenue for interventions would be to focus on these cognitive distortions [ 24 , 25 ].

1.3. Relation of Gambling Addiction with Social and Cognitive Factors

Contrary to the research interest in clinical factors, there is a lack of exhaustive research on the relationship of gambling addiction with certain social factors, such as prosocial behavior, and cognitive factors, such as the priming effect. Prosocial behavior consists of actions that are aimed at promoting cooperation, tolerance, help and solidarity and that are related to the prevention of behavioral problems, such as antisocial and criminal behavior [ 26 , 27 ]. Pathological gamblers seem to exhibit this type of behavior to a lesser extent than the general population, and prosocial behavior, in addition to other emotional, behavioral and social factors, is also a predictor of problems with gambling [ 28 ].

In the study of human behavior, prospect theory proposed by Tversky and Kahneman [ 29 ] identifies a phenomenon known as the framing effect; the theory suggests that the different ways in which a problem is framed can influence the decisions that people make about that problem. According to this theory, people are guided by risk aversion and prefer a safe alternative to a riskier alternative when the alternatives are defined as potential gains rather than when a context-dependent benchmark is used. For Giuliani et al. [ 30 ] and Manippa et al. [ 31 ], people value a gain in the form of money, accounting for aspects of an affective or utilitarian nature. On this basis, in a win-win situation, such as winning money in gambling, the individual will make a decision thinking about the benefits or utility of the win, which will lead him or her to choose the least risky option. On the other hand, when the alternatives are focused on potential losses, the person will take more risks in their decisions.

In this sense, the decisions made by the individual are influenced by the context in which they are presented. Thus, if we want to encourage gambling, in accordance with the framing effect, the individual should be exposed to a greater extent to messages related to what he or she can gain from gambling and to a lesser extent to messages related to what he or she can lose.

Different from the framing effect is the priming effect, which accounts for previous experiences or stimuli to which the person has been exposed when responding to a given situation. Cesario [ 32 ] defined the priming effect as an implicit memory effect. This effect acts as a conditioning. In the specific case of gambling, it is to be expected that positive experiences associated with gambling, such as winnings or benefits at economic, social, psychological levels, will generate a greater predisposition to continue gambling. In the case of alcohol consumption, different studies have pointed out how initial consumption can motivate subsequent consumption, which would occur both in drinkers and in those who try to abstain [ 33 , 34 ].

Applying this framing effect to economic issues, it has been found that people tend to express more aversion to loss than the profits they can make; that is, people value what they already have more than what they can obtain, so under different framings, they tend to choose the option that minimizes losses [ 35 , 36 ]. Takeuchi et al. [ 37 ] found that a group of problem gamblers and a control group of healthy people showed no differences in their loss aversion.

1.4. The Role of Cognitive Distortions in Gambling

One of the most noteworthy traits of pathological gamblers is their distorted cognition in relation to gambling [ 38 , 39 ]. This relationship is not clearly defined, with some theories arguing that the severity of problematic gambling and the motivations that lead people to gamble act as predictors of cognitive distortions about gambling [ 38 ], while other theories posit that cognitive distortions are predictors of future gambling behavior [ 40 ]. Depending on which of the two theories is favored, it can be determined whether it is more effective to focus interventions on gambling behavior or on players’ cognition about gambling [ 40 ].

1.5. The Present Study

The objectives of this study are, first, to outline the differences among clinical, social and cognitive factors to develop an integrative model that helps better understand the problem of gambling addiction. Second, an attempt is made to create an explanatory model of gambling addiction using, in this case, closely related factors, such as cognitive distortions about gambling and the maximum amount of money wagered.

Based on those objectives, we propose the following hypotheses:

There will be a relationship between gambling addiction and clinical, social and cognitive factors. Specifically, the following secondary hypotheses are proposed :

Gambling addiction will be positively related to depression, as stated by [ 17 , 18 ].

Gambling addiction will be positively related to more maladaptive strategies for coping with stress, as reported by [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].

Gambling addiction will be positively related to greater susceptibility to priming, greater cognitive distortions [ 38 , 39 ] and, as suggested by [ 7 , 38 ], more money wagered .

Gambling addiction will be negatively related to prosocial behavior, as suggested by [ 28 ].

Clinical, social and cognitive factors will all be predictors of gambling addiction .

Cognitive distortions about gambling will be predictors of gambling addiction, with the maximum amount wagered playing a mediating role .

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. participants.

A total of 258 university students (153, or 59.5%, were women) between the ages of 18 and 26 completed the study questionnaires, and the mean age of the total sample was 20.95 years (SD = 2.19). Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of the sample.

Demographic characteristics of the sample.

2.2. Measurement Instruments

To measure gambling addiction, the version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS [ 41 ]) that was validated in the Spanish population [ 42 ] was applied. This instrument consists of 20 items (mostly dichotomous); the 3 initial items are not considered in the total score and are used to assess the type of gambling or betting, the maximum amount wagered and whether any close contacts of the participant have problems with gambling. The score of the validated Spanish version ranges from 0 to 19, with the authors considering a score greater than 4 as indicative of problems with gambling. In the original version, all the items evaluate addiction to gambling throughout the lifespan of the participant. The Cronbach’s alpha value for this questionnaire was 0.8. Additionally, the participants indicated the maximum amount of money they had wagered at one time.

The Basic Depression Questionnaire (CBD [ 43 ]), also validated in the Spanish population, was used to measure depression. This instrument measures a series of 21 symptoms typical of depression. Subjects must respond indicating when they have experienced the symptoms, with the options being “never”, “for weeks”, “for months” and “for years”. A Likert-type response scale is used, with higher scores associated with higher depression rates. Recently, this questionnaire has shown good psychometric properties and validity for the specific diagnosis of depressive disorders versus anxiety disorders [ 16 ]. The Cronbach’s alpha value for this questionnaire was 0.87.

Different styles of coping with stress were measured using the Stress Coping Questionnaire (SCQ [ 44 ]), which has been validated in the Spanish population. This questionnaire comprises 42 items grouped into 7 subscales that measure different ways of coping with stress: focusing on solving the problem, negative self-targeting, positive reevaluation, open emotional expression, avoidance, seeking social support and religion. The response scale was a Likert-type scale with five alternatives, with higher scores indicating a greater tendency to use a certain type of coping. The Cronbach’s alpha value for each of the subscales were as follows: 0.83 for focusing on solving the problem, 0.68 for negative self-targeting, 0.73 for positive reevaluation, 0.71 for open emotional expression, 0.69 for avoidance, 0.91 for seeking social support and 0.95 for religion.

To measure prosocial behavior, the Prosociality Scale by Caprara et al. [ 45 ] was used. This scale serves to measure prosocial behavior in youth and adults, differentiating more prosocial from less prosocial individuals, based on the scale of prosocial behavior for children by Caprara and Pastorelli [ 46 ]. In the current study, an adapted version used by Martí-Vilar et al. [ 47 ] was deployed. This scale is made up of 16 Likert-type items with 5 response alternatives ranging from 1 (“never/almost never”) to 5 (“always/almost always”). The Cronbach’s alpha value for this scale was 0.89.

Parts 2 and 4 of the inventory developed by Lepore [ 48 ] were applied to assess the susceptibility of the participants to priming effects. A series of five scenarios is presented (for each of the two parts) in which participants have to make decisions about economic issues or life and death issues. The two parts parallel each other, with each presenting the same situations but changing the frame. The answers are dichotomous, and if a participant selects a different option in each of the parallel scenarios, it implies that he or she is making inconsistent decisions due to the priming effect. Therefore, the closer the scores are to 1, the greater the individual’s susceptibility to priming.

Finally, to assess the participants’ cognitive distortions about gambling, the Spanish version of the Gambling-Related Cognition Scale (GRCS [ 49 ]) was used. This scale is made up of 23 Likert-type items with 7 alternatives ranging from 1 (“completely disagree”) to 7 (“completely agree”). It is structured in five subscales that assess cognitive biases associated with gambling (gambling expectations, illusion of control, prediction of control, inability to stop playing and interpretive bias). The total score across all subscales was used in the current research. For both the subscale scores and the total score, higher scores indicate greater cognitive distortions. The Cronbach’s alpha value for the total scale was 0.92.

Each study variable was measured by a single measure. The most conceptually close, but still different, symptoms were the measures of general symptoms and cognitive distortions.

2.3. Procedure

This cross-sectional study is part of a larger study that seeks to explain the functioning of gambling addiction and its consequences. The Commission for Ethics in Experimental Research of the University of Valencia approved this study (procedure number 1040164). Data were collected between the months of May and December 2019 from students in different faculties of the University of Valencia. The participants were contacted through their teachers; they completed the questionnaire on paper and always in the presence of one of the researchers to guarantee an appropriate environment for carrying out the questionnaire and to ensure that any queries from the participants were answered. The questionnaire required approximately 50–60 min to complete. After participating in the research, all participants signed an informed consent form describing the conditions of the research and explaining that the data collected would be completely anonymized. No incentives were offered to the participants.

2.4. Ethical Considerations

This study is a part of the research project HIM/2015/017/SSA.1207 “Effects of mindfulness training on psychological distress and quality of life of the family caregiver”, which was approved by the Research, Ethics and Biosafety Commissions of the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health in Mexico City. While conducting this study, we followed the ethical rules and considerations for research with humans currently enforced in Mexico [ 50 ] and those outlined by the American Psychological Association [ 41 ]. All family caregivers were informed of the objectives and scope of the research and their rights according to the Helsinki Declaration [ 51 ]. The participants who agreed to participate in the study signed an informed consent letter. Participation in this study was voluntary and did not involve payment.

2.5. Analysis

First, the distribution and frequency of responses for each of the measured variables were analyzed. Next, Pearson correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationship between the different measured variables and gambling addiction. Subsequently, a series of simple and multiple regression analyses were carried out between the relevant variables and, finally, a simple mediation model was analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software, using an additional macro for the mediation analysis.

3.1. Relation of the Various Factors with Gambling Addiction

Table 2 shows the Pearson correlations between each of the factors studied and gambling addiction. The only significant negative correlation was between gambling addiction and prosocial behavior (r = −0.13, p < 0.05). The strongest significant positive correlations occurred between gambling addiction and the maximum amount of money wagered (r = 0.52, p < 0.01) and cognitive distortions about gambling (r = 0.50, p < 0.01). For the other variables that showed significant correlations with gambling addiction, the strongest was susceptibility to priming (r = 0.25, p < 0.01), followed by depression (r = 0.20, p < 0.01), coping with stress through religion (r = 0.18, p < 0.01) and coping with stress through open emotional expression (r = 0.14, p < 0.05).

Correlations between gambling addiction and the other factors.

Notes: Significant correlations in bold. * p < 0.05. ** p < 0.01.

3.2. Regressions on Gambling Addiction

First, a multiple linear regression was performed in which the dependent variable (DV) was gambling addiction, and the independent variables (IVs) were the health, social and cognitive factors that had shown significant correlations with the DV. Using the successive step or stepwise method to perform multiple linear regression, coping with stress through open emotional expression was eliminated first, as it was not significant in the model. Therefore, the final model was made up of gambling addiction as the DV and depression, religion as a way of coping with stress, prosocial behavior and priming susceptibility as the IVs.

The regression model was statistically significant, F(4) = 8.08, p < 0.01, and all the IVs in the model were also significant predictors (see Table 3 ). The corrected R2 value was 16.8%, indicating the proportion of the variance in gambling addiction explained by the variance in the predictor variables. Analysis of the residuals indicated that the data fit well with the assumptions of the linear regression model.

Multiple linear regression model.

Furthermore, a simple linear regression was estimated in which gambling addiction was the DV and cognitive distortions were the IV. The slope of the regression was statistically significant, β = 0.5, t(1) = 9.32, p < 0.01, so it was accepted that there was a linear relationship between gambling addiction and cognitive distortions. The corrected R2 value was 25.1%, indicating that approximately a quarter of the variance in gambling addiction was explained by variance in cognitive distortions. In this case, the data also fit the assumptions of a linear regression model.

Finally, a simple mediation model with bootstrapping with 1000 samples, shown in Figure 1 , was tested in which cognitive distortions acted as predictors of gambling addiction, with the maximum amount of money wagered being a mediator in this relationship. The model explained 34.5% of the variance ( p < 0.01), and the indirect effect was 0.39 ( p < 0.01). All the relationships shown were statistically significant ( p < 0.1), and the effect increased considerably when the maximum amount of money bet as a mediator was added.

Mediated regression model. ** p < 0.1; c’ = direct effect; c = effect with mediator. Bootstrap 1000 samples.

4. Discussion

In this research, we sought to increase knowledge of gambling addiction, specifically in relation to other factors, covering different areas to develop an integrative model that did not leave out any field. Based on this, it was first hypothesized that gambling addiction would have positive relationships with depression, maladaptive stress-coping techniques, susceptibility to priming, cognitive distortions about gambling and the maximum amount of money wagered. Furthermore, the relationship between gambling addiction and prosocial behavior was predicted to be negative (Hypothesis 1).

In the case of depression, the results obtained were consistent with hypothesis 1.1 since the two factors were correlated positively and significantly. This relationship (as well as the relationship between gambling addiction and other pathologies or clinical problems) has been widely addressed, and these results are consistent with other recent investigations that have also found direct relationships between gambling addiction and depression [ 17 , 18 , 24 , 25 ].

Additionally, in the results of this research, gambling addiction showed a positive relationship with a maladaptive way of coping with stress (Hypothesis 1.2), namely, resorting to magical, quasi-religious thinking instead of confronting one’s problems [ 44 ]. Contrary to our hypothesis, gambling addiction also showed a positive correlation with the adaptive technique of open emotional expression. The remaining coping techniques measured by the SCQ did not show any statistically significant correlations with gambling addiction. The literature on these relationships has reported that there are differences in people’s coping with stress depending on whether they have a problem with gambling [ 19 ], which tends to lead those with problem gambling to use higher levels of maladaptive techniques [ 20 , 21 , 22 ] and lower levels of adaptive techniques [ 21 ].

Regarding priming susceptibility (Hypothesis 1.3), the results indicated that higher levels of susceptibility correlated directly with higher levels of gambling addiction. Specifically, the priming situation analyzed was one of those collected in the questionnaire of Lepore [ 48 ], extracted from Kahneman et al. [ 52 ]. There is not much literature on this topic since existing studies have focused more on loss aversion. Takeuchi et al. [ 37 ] found no difference in loss aversion between a group of healthy subjects and another group of pathological players, with the limitation that this result came from a sample of only 57 participants. Gambling addiction was also found to correlate positively with both cognitive distortions about gambling and the maximum amount of money wagered (Hypothesis 1.3), corroborating previous research [ 7 , 38 ]. Finally, in line with what was hypothesized (Hypothesis 1.4), gambling addiction and prosocial behavior correlated in a negative and statistically significant way, as in the literature [ 43 ].

In short, the results supported the first hypothesis except for the sub hypothesis related to coping with stress since, contrary to what was expected, gambling addiction correlated positively with an adaptive type of coping and showed a relationship with only one type of maladaptive coping. Second, it was hypothesized that clinical, social and cognitive factors would work together as predictors of gambling addiction (Hypothesis 2). The data obtained corroborated this hypothesis since an integrative model was obtained that combined clinical (depression and stress), cognitive (susceptibility to a priming effect) and social (prosocial behavior) factors, explaining more than 16% of the variance in gambling addiction. Previously, the predictive capacity of depression [ 17 , 18 ], maladaptive techniques for coping with stress [ 20 , 21 ] and, to a lesser extent, prosocial behavior was studied [ 28 ], while it had not been found before that susceptibility to priming effects could be a predictor of gambling addiction [ 37 ]. The present study, on the one hand, highlights this predictive capacity of priming susceptibility and, on the other hand, offers an integrative approach to help us understand the variables that affect gambling addiction.

Finally, it was hypothesized that cognitive distortions would be predictive of gambling addiction, with this relationship mediated by the maximum amount of money wagered (Hypothesis 3). This hypothesis holds with the data obtained since, while a simple linear regression model with cognitive distortions as the IV explained approximately a quarter of the variance in gambling addiction, the mediation model, including money wagered, increased the proportion of variance explained to just over a third. Existing research on cognitive distortions and gambling addiction thus far has two main currents, with some authors indicating that distortions are predictors of addiction [ 40 ] and others arguing that gambling addiction acts as a predictor of cognitive distortions [ 38 ]. This study follows research such as that of Yakovenko et al. [ 40 ] in proposing an innovative model to contribute to our knowledge about gambling addiction.

Study Limitations

A limitation of the current study is that it did not consider additional clinical, social and cognitive variables that could be involved in gambling addiction. This could be corrected in future studies. Among these variables, the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should be accounted for, examining the relationship with addictive behaviors, as indicated by Fatséas et al. [ 53 ], as well as with autistic traits [ 54 ], since there is a relationship with the prevalence of internet gaming disorder. Another limitation of the study is related to the small sample size and the fact that the sample included only university students, which limits the generalizability of the results. In addition, the lack of a clinical sample should be considered another limitation of the study. Finally, the present study did not account for emotional variables that have been related to addictions, such as emotional codependence in the case of internet addiction [ 55 ]. It would also be interesting to systematically review the different gambling addiction prevention and intervention programs to analyze which ones work best and to try to identify the characteristics that make them more effective, relating these to the findings obtained in studies such as this one. In short, with this research, progress has been made in the study of the problem of gambling addiction through novel integrative models, which may be interesting to the field of clinical psychology.

5. Conclusions

From the data obtained in this study, it can be concluded that it is necessary to try to contemplate all the variables involved in gambling addiction rather than focusing only on clinical factors to design more comprehensive intervention programs that work simultaneously on all affected dimensions in people who may present problems with gambling. On the other hand, the results support the relevance of working on the cognitive distortions that people have about gambling with the aim of preventing or reducing their gambling addiction problems and working on the behavioral aspect (the maximum amount of money they have wagered), which has been shown to mediate this relationship. These contributions could be interesting both for the development of intervention programs in people who present gambling problems and in the design of prevention plans to work with people at risk.

The results indicated that gambling addiction correlates with a variety of clinical, social and cognitive factors, with these factors contributing to a model that predicted 16.8% of the variance in gambling addiction and another model that predicted 34.5% of the variance using cognitive distortions as a predictor and maximum bet as a mediator. The results represent an advance, first, by developing a theoretical model from an integrative perspective and, second, by providing a new explanatory model. The findings of this research are of great importance in the development of prevention and intervention programs for gambling addiction.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Angel Gabriel Uribe Zamorano for his support.

Funding Statement

Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health. This work is one of the results of the research project HIM/2015/017/SSA.1207, “Effects of mindfulness training on psychological distress and quality of life of the family caregiver”. Main researcher: Filiberto Toledano-Toledano. The present research received federal funds for health research and was approved by the Commissions of Research, Ethics and Biosafety at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health. The source of federal funds did not determine the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretations or decisions regarding publication.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; methodology, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; software, C.M.-S. and G.H.-S.; validation, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; formal analysis J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; investigation, C.M.-S., G.H.-S. and F.T.-T.; resources, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; data curation, C.M.-S., G.H.-S. and F.T.-T.; writing—original draft preparation, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.G.-S.; writing—review and editing, J.E.-R., M.M.-V. and F.T.-T., visualization, C.M.-S. and G.H.-S.; supervision, J.E.-R. and F.T.-T.; project administration, J.E.-R. and F.T.-T.; and funding acquisition, F.T.-T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study HIM/2015/017/SSA.1207, “Effects of mindfulness training on psychological distress and quality of life of the family caregiver”. was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Commissions of Research, Ethics and Biosafety at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Gambling Addiction Research Approaches Research Paper

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Introduction

The disease model, the psychoanalytic model, the 12-step model, the biopsychosociospiritual model, reference list.

Gambling is one of the most serious disorders that affect the gambler as well as his/her family and friends. Gambling is not a new problem as it dates back to 5000 B.C. and it is even mentioned in the Bible (Koié et al., 2009). It was regarded as a sin a hundred years ago, but now it is seen as a disorder which can and should be researched.

At present there are several approaches used to research the disorder. Each approach suggests specific facets to look at. Each approach also has specific advantages and downsides. It is possible to analyze three major models used to research the disorder: disease model, psychoanalytical model and biopsychosociospiritual model. A 12-step model should also be analyzed as it suggests a particular pattern to treat the disease.

The disease model focuses on biological factors (like genetic peculiarities) and influence of environment. Thus, genetic studies report that pathological gamblers often “possess the dopamine D2A1 allele receptor gene” which allowed researchers to hypothesize that

a lack of D2 receptors cause individuals to seek pleasure-generating activities, placing them at high risk for multiple addictive, impulsive and compulsive behaviours. (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002, p. 490)

Apart from this, twin research also confirms that there are specific genetic preconditions which can lead to the development of the disorder. Thus, numerous studies report that if a twin is reported to have the disorder, the other twin is also likely to have the same disorder (Inaba et al., 2011). Thus, it is hypothesized that pathological gambling is “biologically prescribed” though the individual has the choice to seek for other pleasures (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002, p. 491).

It goes without saying that genetic studies provide valuable insights into the analysis of the disorder. For instance, researchers suggest that some patients can benefit from pharmacological treatment (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002). However, the disease model is not confined to genetic analysis only.

As has been mentioned above the disease model presupposes analysis of such a factor as environment. Many pathological gamblers were subjected to certain circumstances which contributed greatly to the development of the disorder. Some individuals fall under someone’s influence, whereas some can simply start spending time (and money) just for fun, which eventually turns into a dangerous addiction.

The disease model has enabled researchers to come to the conclusion that there can be several groups of individuals. Thus, some gamblers can be treated pharmacologically, others should receive combined treatment (pharmacological and psychological support), and some may need psychological support only.

Therefore, it is possible to claim that the disease model is quite a comprehensive approach which covers several possible factors which lead to the development of the disorder. This comprehensiveness enables the researchers to find specific ways to develop treatment strategies to help gamblers.

The psychoanalytic model presupposes reliance on psychoanalysis (analysis of childhood experiences, environment, social interactions, possible traumas, etc.). Thus, psychological factors become the major focus of the study. Researchers relying on this approach resort to verbal interventions and verbal communication to treat the disorder (Inaba et al., 2011). Koié et al. (2009) analyze several particular cases that can illustrate peculiarities of the model.

For instance, Koié et al. (2009) comment upon the case of a 46-year-old male who addressed psychotherapist. The man underwent neurolinguistic treatment and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Notably, his wife was present at many sessions and she was also trained in communication.

The psychotherapist managed to reveal the major reasons of the development of the disorder. The man also reported that he had started gambling as he had seen gambling as a way to earn extra money for his family. The outcome of the therapy was positive and the man ceased to gamble. However, he recidivated and this led to his alienation. His wife divorced him to secure her and her children’s financial position.

Koié et al. (2009) suggest that psychoanalysis can be a very effective way to help gamblers. The researchers claim that the major goal of the psychoanalytic approach “is not only to stop gambling”, but also to help the gambler to “be accepted and socially rehabilitated” (Koié et al., 2009, p. 969).

Thus, it is possible to note that the psychoanalytic model presupposes a lot of attention to psychological factors. One of the major advantages of the model is that gamblers receive thorough psychological treatment which does not simply address the problem itself, but helps people to recover their social life.

However, the model is rather limited as psychiatrists do not take into account biological factors which often play significant role in the development of the disorder. Thus, the model addresses psychological and social factors of the problem but ignores biological factors. This makes the model rather incomplete. As the case provided suggests, psychoanalytical treatment alone is not enough in many settings as some gamblers start gambling over and over again.

The 12-step model can be regarded as similar to the psychoanalytical model. Though this model can also lead to recidivism, the model can be very effective. For instance, Ferentzy et al. (2009) state that the model can be effectively used to treat pathological gamblers. The researchers depict the pattern which is based on the treatment used to help substance addicts.

Thus, the model presupposes the following: admitting that there is a problem, recognizing that there is certain power which can help to get rid of the addiction, analyzing factors which led to the addiction, analyzing possible ways to start a new life, helping other addicts to overcome the addiction.

These steps have proved to be effective in many cases. It is possible to note that such kind of therapy is very effective as it presupposes sharing experience. Gamblers feel support on the part of people who managed to recover. Thus, many gamblers also manage to find ways to replace their addiction.

It is also necessary to point out that the 12-step model is more effective than the psychoanalytic model as the former is confined to a limited communication with a psychiatrist. Gamblers often keep ties and communicate with others who help them to their addiction. This integration into a specific social network makes the 12-step model so beneficial for patients.

The biopsychosociospiritual model can be regarded as the most comprehensive approach as it presupposes analysis of all possible factors which contribute to the development of the disorder. Thus, researchers take into account biological and psychological factors, they also analyze such factor as environment. Many researchers have acknowledge benefits of the model which

accommodates and supports non-linear systems theories which place individuals and behaviours within contexts of biological, family and socio-cultural systems, and which view individuals as active participants in on-going system maintenance and change dynamics. (“Addictions Foundation of Manitoba,” 2000, p. 5)

It is important to note that patients often receive ‘combined’ treatment. Thus, patients can receive pharmacological treatment combined with neurolinguistic interventions and verbal communication which address problems associated with childhood experiences, social life of patients, etc. Admittedly, this model can be regarded as the most effective as it addresses all possible causes of the addiction.

The model enables researchers to use the latest advances in many fields. Thus, researchers are exposed to a vast amount of knowledge which can help to come up with effective strategies to treat the addiction and enable patients to be rehabilitated in their social life.

It is possible to conclude that the biopsychosociospiritual is the most appropriate model to address such disorder as pathological gambling. This approach presupposes a comprehensive therapy which addresses all possible causes of the disorder. Patients may receive combined treatment. The therapy is not confined to pharmacological and verbal interventions (like in disease model), or to verbal interventions like in (psychoanalytical model). It includes traits of the two models.

The model is based on various studies in the field of genetics and psychoanalysis. It is also important to note that this model can be also combined with the 12-step model which has proved to be effective as it enables patients to regain their social life. These two approaches contain various effective strategies which can be used in various settings. However, further research is still needed as even these effective models do not guarantee that the patient can refrain from gambling forever (or even for a long period of time).

Addictions Foundation of Manitoba : A biopsychosocial model of addiction. (2000). Web.

Blaszczynski, A., & Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction, 97 , 487-499.

Ferentzy, P., Skinner, W., Antze, P. (2009). Gamblers Anonymous and the 12 steps: How an informal society has altered a recovery process in accordance with the special needs of problem gamblers. Journal of Gambling Issues, 23 , 42-65.

Inaba, D.S., Cohen, W.E., Radics, E., Cholewa, E.K. (2011). Uppers, downers, all arounders: Physical and mental effects of psychoactive drugs. Medford, OR: Cns Productions.

Koié, E., Filaković, P., Djordjevic, V., Nadj, S. (2009). “Alea iacta est” (A case series report of problem and pathological gambling). Coll. Antropol., 33 , 961-971.

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The causes of gambling addiction: an examination of what characteristics and ways of thinking drive gambling issues

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EDITORIAL article

Editorial: problem gambling: summarizing research findings and defining new horizons.

• 1 Institute of Psychology and Cognition Research, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
• 2 Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
• 3 Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
• 4 University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
• 5 McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

Editorial on the Research Topic Problem Gambling: Summarizing Research Findings and Defining New Horizons

Introduction

More than a decade ago, Shaffer et al. (2006) reported that gambling-related research was growing at an exponential rate. Since that time, this trend appears to have continued, and much more is now known about this particular form of risky behavior. Nevertheless, there is still a general tendency to not perceive gambling as a potential danger for youth and other vulnerable populations.

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included “gambling disorder” as the only condition in the section “non-substance-related disorders.” Moreover, it was specified that this disorder can indeed occur in adolescence, young adulthood or even late adulthood. Despite this fact, theoretical and applied research on problem gambling especially with regard to adolescence and other risk groups still remains fragmentary. For this reason, we felt it to be important to organize a special research topic on gambling. The primary goals were to highlight the necessity of considering excessive gambling as a potential harmful activity, to summarize the state-of-art of international research on different aspects of the topic and to offer important novel findings relevant for advancing knowledge in the field of gambling. Taken together, the contributions can be classified into four broad categories: (1) youth gambling, (2) risk factors in adulthood, (3) measurement issues, and (4) clinical research.

Overview of Contributing Papers

In total, 18 papers are presented in this special issue. The first central domain refers to gambling among youth. Even though regulated forms of gambling are generally prohibited to minors, there is a considerable body of research that proves their involvement in gambling activities. A significant minority of adolescents even show gambling-related psychosocial problems ( Calado et al., 2017 ). In addition, several studies have explored risk and protective factors in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood for the development of problem gambling symptoms ( Dowling et al., 2017 ). Four papers in this issue have specifically focused on youth gambling, contributing to the current knowledge by exploring less studied psychosocial constructs or subpopulations and offering guidelines for the conception of interventions. From the broader social perspective, Canale et al. presented the first study with a large-scale nationally representative sample of adolescents to examine the effects of income inequality on adolescent gambling, concluding that wealth distribution may have an impact on youth gambling. Gender issues were raised with the study from Huic et al. focusing on gambling predictors of adolescent girls who are a much less studied population than boys. Furthermore, empirical findings from Nigro et al. with regard to different emotional and cognitive factors confirmed the impact of impulsivity and emotional distress on the development of youth problem gambling. Last but not least, Donati et al. addressed mindware problems (i.e., cognitive distortions) and their influence both on youth gambling as well as the conception of theoretically founded preventive interventions.

In addition, four papers shed light on specific risk constellations for the development and manifestation of gambling-related problems in adulthood. Based on representative data from Austria, Buth et al. tackled the question of whether certain risk factors are equally relevant for at-risk, problem, and disordered gamblers. Overall, their findings indicated that the included risk factors indeed differ between these gambling groups, suggesting the need for more tailored prevention and treatment strategies. In contrast to this approach, the study by Hing et al. aimed at identifying risk factors for three forms of problematic online gambling [i.e., electronic gaming machines (EGMs), sports betting, race betting]. While the risk profiles of online sports bettors and race bettors were largely similar, a rather different pattern emerged for online EGM gamblers pointing again to the importance of differential activities in terms of prevention and intervention. Unique findings also stem from Olason et al. who conducted a population-based follow-up study in order to determine the impact of the economic crisis in Iceland on gambling behavior. Interestingly, past year problematic gambling figures did not change after the economic collapse. However, an increased participation in lotto and scratch tickets indicates that gambling forms with low initial stakes and large jackpots may then become more enticing, in particular for individuals suffering financial difficulties. In a very well-balanced opinion paper Zakiniaeiz et al. finally recalled the necessity to study gender differences in gambling patterns, especially with regard to preferred gambling forms, the onset of disordered gambling, co-occurring disorders and disorder progression.

Another important area in gambling research relates to measurement issues. In particular, the reliable and valid assessment of problem gambling patterns has received a considerable amount of attention for both adolescents ( Edgren et al., 2016 ) and adults ( Pickering et al., 2018 ). Five papers deal with the psychometric properties of novel measurement tools. Against the background that large-scale prevalence studies consistently represent high prevalence rates of gambling participation among youth (see above), two papers directly focus on this age cohort. While Stinchfield et al. developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Brief Adolescent Gambling Screen (BAGS), a three-item screen for adolescent problem gambling, Donati et al. tested the gender invariance of their Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A) applying item response theory. New tools that broadly aim at determining risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling in adults were also introduced. For example, Barbaranelli et al. reported the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Gambling Self-Efficacy Scale (MGSES), an innovative scale to measure self-efficacy as a protective factor for problem gambling. In addition, Cowie et al. provided preliminary evidence for the predictive validity of the Gambling Cognitions Inventory (GCI) as a measure of cognitive distortions, showing its relationship to several gambling outcomes over a 1-month and a 6-month time period, respectively. In a similar vein, Jonsson et al. assessed the capacity of the different dimensions of the Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS) to predict increases in problem gambling risk levels as well as the onset of problem gambling over 1 year.

The final main subject of interest relates to clinical examinations of problem gambling. Researchers and treatment providers have sought to identify the underlying issues associated with problem gambling and have tried to identify both the barriers preventing individuals for seeking help and best practices in working with individuals with this disorder. Five informative papers have looked at this issue from multiple perspectives. Challet-Bouju et al. provided a systematic review of cognitive interventions highlighting that this common form of intervention represents a promising approach to gambling disorder management while Tremblay et al. documented the experiences of gamblers and their partners either individually or in couple therapy. Their conclusion was that both forms of treatment were effective but more positive experiences emerged for couple therapy. In yet another interesting paper, Gavriel-Fried and Rabayov examined the importance of self-stigma for individuals seeking treatment for gambling, alcohol or other substance use problems. They summarized that stigma among individuals with gambling problems tend to work in a similar way as among those individuals with an alcohol or drug problem. Jiménez-Murcia et al. analyzed the frequency of the co-occurrence of gambling disorders and food addiction. Their findings suggest that almost 10% of individuals having a gambling disorder concurrently experienced a food addiction. In addition, a far higher ratio of food addiction was found in women. Lastly, Giroux et al. provided a systematic review of online and mobile interventions for problem gambling, alcohol and drug use. While this may prove promising in the future, more rigorous research is necessary before definite conclusions can be reached. In sum, more research is clearly needed in understanding gambling disorders or problem gambling patterns before best practice treatment approaches can be identified. Clinicians and treatment providers are well aware that problem gamblers do not represent a homogenous group ( Blaszczynski and Nower, 2002 ) and that differential approaches may be required.

Overall, 94 different authors from 15 countries contributed to this special issue. We remain confident that these 18 papers significantly add to the understanding of problem gambling and will further stimulate high-quality gambling research in its many facets.

Author Contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Blaszczynski, A., and Nower, L. (2002). A pathways model of problem and pathological gambling. Addiction 97, 487–499. doi: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00015.x

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Calado, F., Alexandre, J., and Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Prevalence of adolescent problem gambling: a systematic review of research. J. Gambl. Stud . 33, 397–424. doi: 10.1007/s10899-016-9627-5

Dowling, N. A., Merkouris, S. S., Greenwood, C. J., Oldenhof, E., Toumbourou, J. W., and Youssef, G. J. (2017). Early risk and protective factors for problem gambling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Clin. Psychol. Rev . 51, 109–124. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.008

Edgren, R., Castrén, S., Mäkelä, M., Pörtfors, P., Alho, H., and Salonen, A. H. (2016). Reliability of instruments measuring at-risk and problem gambling among young individuals: a systematic review covering years 2009-2015. J. Adolesc. Health 58, 600–615. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.03.007

Pickering, D., Keen, B., Entwistle, G., and Blaszczynski, A. (2018). Measuring treatment outcomes in gambling disorders: a systematic review. Addiction 113, 411–426. doi: 10.1111/add.13968

Shaffer, H. J., Stanton, M. V., and Nelson, S. E. (2006). Trends in gambling studies research: quantifying, categorizing, and describing citations. J. Gambl. Stud . 22, 427–442. doi: 10.1007/s10899-006-9023-7

Keywords: gambling, problem gambling, adolescence, measurement, risk factors, prevention, treatment

Citation: Hayer T, Primi C, Ricijas N, Olason DT and Derevensky JL (2018) Editorial: Problem Gambling: Summarizing Research Findings and Defining New Horizons. Front. Psychol . 9:1670. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01670

Received: 13 August 2018; Accepted: 20 August 2018; Published: 06 September 2018.

Copyright © 2018 Hayer, Primi, Ricijas, Olason and Derevensky. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Tobias Hayer, [email protected]

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Argumentative Essay: The Ethics Of Gambling

For example, one restaurant’s growth is usually at the expense of another local restaurant. Customers go to the one they prefer more often costing the other restaurant owners money. This can also be seen in nature. When one species is thriving and growing, it’s prey starts to suffer. The great thing about nature is that it has it’s own protection mechanisms inherent in the system. As one species kills off it’s prey, the species uses up its own food supply .

Although this contradicts what i just mentioned above and my beliefs, there was several interesting articles I read. ScientificAmerican shared several stories about people ruining their lives due to gambling. Majority of them where a slippery slope of how people started small, got addicted, started to steal from loved ones and ended up doing jail time. Personally, I haven’t had a family member that has gone through this kind of addiction so I really can’t relate. The main reason I came across this page was because I was interested in why people become addicted to gambling in the first place.

Doing some research on that i found that the pathological gamblers and drug addicts share many of the same enetic predispositions for impulsivity and reward seeking. One could make the assumption of relating a casino to a drug dealer in a way. The drug dealer supplies the dopefiend with its high, while the casino supplies its addicts with big thrills. In the end dopefiernd and supplier run out of money to get there high/ thrills and result to violence in order I came across an interesting presentation titled “Deceptive and unethical? Reflections on gambling advertising” which was created by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health .

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Gambling Addiction

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Thesis Statement: The Psychological Addiction of the Role-Playing Computer Game

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Shanlax press

Sivakumar I. , RAJA SURYA.S

Gaming addiction or disorder occurs when adolescents compulsorily play video games for long hours - until it begins to impair in family, social, personal, educational, and other vital areas of life. Video gaming can become addiction that can damage your health and relationship. WHO officially recognized "gaming disorder" as a mental health conditions. More than 2 billion people play video games globally; 3-4 percent of gamers are addicted to video games. In 2020, worldwide video game addiction statistics show that 94 percent of gaming addicts were male and only 6 percent were female. The research based on qualitative analysis. The study reveals that the prolonged gaming releases dopamine, which can negatively affect impulse control, it also affects the frontal cortex of the brain, similar to the effects of cocaine. In rare and extreme cases, deaths have resulted from excessive video game playing. At the same time gaming can provide a way for people to interact with each other, it helps to who can have challenges with traditional modes of communication.

Mark D Griffiths

Aims. The current study explored the nature of problematic (addictive) video gaming and the association with game type, psychosocial health, and substance use. Methods. Data were collected using a paper and pencil survey in the classroom setting. Three samples were aggregated to achieve a total sample of 8478 unique adolescents. Scales included measures of game use, game type, the Video game Addiction Test (VAT), depressive mood, negative self-esteem, loneliness, social anxiety, education performance, and use of cannabis, alcohol and nicotine (smoking). Results. Findings confirmed problematic gaming is most common amongst adolescent gamers who play multiplayer online games. Boys (60%) were more likely to play online games than girls (14%) and problematic gamers were more likely to be boys (5% ) than girls (1%). High problematic gamers showed increases on depressive mood, loneliness, social anxiety, negative self-esteem, and self-reported lower school performance. Nicotine, alcohol, and cannabis using boys were almost twice more likely to report high PVG. Conclusions. It appears that online gaming in general is not necessarily associated with problems. However, problematic gamers do seem to play online games more often, and a small subgroup of gamers – specifically boys – show decreased psychosocial functioning and lower grades. Moreover, associations with alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis use are found. It would appear that problematic gaming is an undesirable problem for a small subgroup of gamers. The findings encourage further exploration of the role of psychoactive substance use in problematic gaming.

Edra Ayuningtiaz

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

Charlotte Wittek

Current Psychiatry Reviews

Video gaming has become a popular leisure activity in many parts of the world, and an increasing number of empirical studies examine the small minority that appears to develop problems as a result of excessive gaming. This study investigated prevalence rates and predictors of video game addiction in a sample of gamers, randomly selected from the National Population Registry of Norway (N=3389). Results showed there were 1.4 % addicted gamers, 7.3 % problem gamers, 3.9 % engaged gamers, and 87.4 % normal gamers. Gender (being male) and age group (being young) were positively associated with addicted-, problem-, and engaged gamers. Place of birth (Africa, Asia, South- and Middle America) were positively associated with addicted- and problem gamers. Video game addiction was negatively associated with conscientiousness and positively associated with neuroticism. Poor psychosomatic health was positively associated with problem- and engaged gaming. These factors provide insight into the field of video game addiction, and may help to provide guidance as to how individuals that are at risk of becoming addicted gamers can be identified.

Alex Blaszczynski

Research suggests that excessive online gaming may lead to symptoms commonly experienced by substance addicts. Since games are particularly appealing to children and adolescents, these groups may be more at risk than other groups of developing gaming addiction. Given these potential concerns, a literature review was undertaken in order (i) to present the classification basis of online gaming addiction using official mental disorder frameworks, (ii) to identify empirical studies that assess online gaming addiction in children and adolescents, and (iii) to present and evaluate the findings against the background of related and established mental disorder criteria. Empirical evidence comprising 30 studies indicates that for some adolescents, gaming addiction exists and that as the addiction develops, online gaming addicts spend increasing amounts of time preparing for, organizing, and actually gaming. Further evidence suggests that problematic online gaming can be conceptualized as a behavioral addiction rather than a disorder of impulse control.

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MLB Insider Brands Cubs Biggest Disappointment in NL

Matthew postins | 18 hours ago.

• Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are in last place in the National League Central, pretty much the last thing the team’s leadership was hoping for when the season started.

That’s disappointment enough. But USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently wrote that the Cubs are the NL’s biggest disappointment team at the season’s halfway point.

It’s hard to argue against his thesis.

The Cubs didn’t light up the offseason, but what they ended up with after luring manager Craig Counsell to lead the team sparked the Cubs to a good start this season.

The signing of pitcher Shota Imanaga helped the Cubs get through a myriad of early injuries to their starting pitchers, including Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Kyle Hendricks. Even though Imanaga’s numbers have fallen off in June, there may be enough in his body of work to get an All-Star Game selection as a rookie.

The problem is he may be the only Cub in Arlington, Texas, for the game on June 16.

Chicago traded for infielder Michael Busch and pitcher Yency Almonte last offseason. While Almonte has been a solid reliever, he’s been on the injured list since May and was moved to the 60-day IL earlier this week.

Busch had an exceptional April and has settled in, but the power numbers have dropped.

Christopher Morel started the season on a high at the plate, and while he continues to slug, his batting average is around .200 and he’s still a liability defensively.

Plus, players the Cubs expected to be stars have underperformed relative to expectations, including shortstop Dansby Swanson, center fielder Cody Bellinger and left fielder Ian Happ.

The frustration boiled over on Saturday night as Steele yelled at his teammates as he walked into the home dugout.

Nightengale made the point that the Cubs don’t have former manager David Ross to blame anymore. He was fired when Chicago made the deal to hire Counsell. That flip happened the same day in the offseason.

“The Cubs spent money, have gotten tremendous value out of rookie sensation Shota Imanaga, and somehow find themselves in last place,” Nightengale wrote.

The worst part may be the team leading the NL Central is the team Counsell led last season, Milwaukee. The Brewers, one of the Cubs’ chief rivals, have set the managerial change aside, overcome the losses of players like pitcher Corbin Burnes to Baltimore and remained at the top of the division.

As for the Cubs, the first half of this season has been as disappointing as you could imagine.  

MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation. He also covers he Big 12 for Heartland College Sports.

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