Pathological gambling: A comparison of gambling at German-style slot machines and “Classical” gambling

Motives for gambling were examined among patrons of slots venues who reported playing electronic gaming machines at least weekly (N=849). According to scores on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), there were 331 (39.0%) participants at low risk, 330 (38.9%) at moderate risk, and 188 (22.1%) at high risk of Pathological Gambling. Scores on the Coping and Enhancement scales of the Gambling Motives Questionnaire (GMQ) had independent effects on PGSI scores. Cluster analysis of Coping and Enhancement scores identified Low Emotion Regulation (LER; n=189), Primarily Enhancement (PE; n=338), and Coping and Enhancement (CE; n=322) subtypes. More CE gamblers (80.1%) had PGSI scores that suggested problem or Pathological Gambling than the PE (56.8%) or LE (36.0%) subtypes. Gamblers who frequently play slot machines are at elevated risk of Pathological Gambling if they play slots as a means of self-regulating their negative emotional states.

Download Full-text

Male and Female Pathological Gamblers: Bet in a Different Way and Show Different Mental Disorders

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2014.88 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Dominica Díez ◽

Núria Aragay ◽

Mercè Soms ◽

Gemma Prat ◽

Miquel Casas

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Pathological Gambling ◽

Psychiatric Comorbidity ◽

Main Type ◽

Gambling Behavior ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

Slot Machines ◽

Treatment Programs ◽

Male And Female ◽

Pathological Gamblers

AbstractAlthough in the last years several studies comparing male and female pathological gamblers have been published, most of them have been carried out using only samples of males. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in a sample of subjects diagnosed with pathological gambling (PG) attending three specialized outpatient units. Retrospective study was carried out of 96 patients (49% female and 51% male), comparing the main socio-demographic, clinical, and behavioral data. Most subjects (94%) met the criteria for pathological gambling. No significant differences between sexes were found in the severity of gambling behavior or the socio-demographic variables studied. Whereas slot machines were the main type of game for most subjects, a higher percentage of women were addicted to bingo (χ2(1, 4)= 5.19,p =.029 Cohen’sd= 0.48) and had more than one type of game as a secondary addiction χ2(1, 4)= 7.63,p =.006; Cohen’sd =0.59) . Women started gambling at a later age than men (t(94)= 2.95,p= .004; Cohen’sd =0.60), but developed a pattern of addiction faster (t(94)= 2.95,p= .004; Cohen’sd =–0.61) . Women also had higher comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders (χ2(1)= 7.28,p =.007; Cohen’sd =0.57), specifically with affective (χ2(1)= 11.31,p =.001; Cohen’sd =0.73) and personality disorders (χ2(1)= 4.71,p =.030; Cohen’sd =0.45). Our results indicate the existence of differences between women and men in the pattern of gambling behavior and in psychiatric comorbidity. These aspects should be considered in the design of treatment programs for pathological gamblers.

Download Full-text

Pathological Gambling in Spanish Children and Adolescents: An Emerging Problem

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1997.81.1.275 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 81 (1) ◽

pp. 275-287 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Elisardo Becoña

Keyword(s):

Pathological Gambling ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

School Children ◽

Slot Machines ◽

South Oaks Gambling Screen ◽

Pathological Gamblers ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Two Cities ◽

Northern Regions ◽

Representative Samples

Several studies have shown a high prevalence of pathological gamblers among adults in Spain (between 1.5% and 1.7%) of the population (18 years and older). In other countries the prevalence of pathological gambling in children and adolescents has been higher than in adults. Here some results of the first studies conducted in Spain concerning the prevalence of pathological gambling in school children and adolescents (11–16 years) are presented for two cities located in different northern regions of Spain, A Coruña (Galicia) and Gijón (Asturias), with representative samples of school children. The prevalence was 2.2% ( n = 1,200) and 1.6% ( n = 2,185), respectively, for the use of slot machines, using the 1993 DSM-IVJ Questionnaire of Fisher, and 2.4% in the first city with the South Oaks Gambling Screen-Revised Adolescent for all types of gambling. The analyses suggest there is an emerging problem among children and adolescents in Spain perhaps leading to an increased number of pathological gamblers as adults.

Download Full-text

Assessment of Pathological Gamblers Who Use Slot Machines

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.2003.93.3.707 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 93 (3) ◽

pp. 707-716 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

A. González-Ibáñez ◽

M. N. Aymamí ◽

S. Jiménez ◽

J. M. Domenech ◽

R. Granero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pathological Gambling ◽

Sensation Seeking ◽

Interpersonal Sensitivity ◽

The Other ◽

Slot Machines ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Sociodemographic Variables ◽

Pathological Gamblers ◽

Phobic Anxiety ◽

Cluster 2

The aim of the present study was to classify pathological gamblers based on their psychopathology as related to the variable sensation-seeking, and to check possible differences between the groups on the sociodemographic variables. The sample was composed of 110 male pathological gamblers using slot machines who requested treatment at the Pathological Gambling Unit at the Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge. It was observed that pathological gamblers comprise three clusters, differentiated with differing severity depression, psychoticism, somatization, impulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, and phobic anxiety. Cluster 1, representing 46.7% of the sample, showed mean scores higher than or equal to T = 63. On the subscales of Depression, Psychoticism, Interpersonal Sensidvity, Phobic Anxiety, and Obsessiveness–Compulsiveness the score was close to T = 63 (the clinical cut-off score). Cluster 2, representing 23.8% of the sample, scored higher than Cluster 1 on the following subscales: Depression, Phobic Anxiety, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Psychoticism, Obsessive–Compulsive, and Somatization. On Cluster 3 highest mean scores were observed on all SCL-90-R dimensions relative to the other two groups. What distinguished these subgroups is not symptomatology but the severity of the psychopathology. On the other hand, sensation seeking was similar for the three clusters, and the slight differences depended on the subjects' psychopathology.

Download Full-text

Comparative Effectiveness of Three Therapeutic Modalities in the Psychological Treatment of Pathological Gambling: Long-Term Outcome

Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1017/s1352465800016830 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 51-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 123

Author(s):

Enrique Echeburúa ◽

Concepción Báez ◽

Javier Fernández-Montalvo

Keyword(s):

Pathological Gambling ◽

Stimulus Control ◽

Comparative Effectiveness ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Response Prevention ◽

Slot Machines ◽

Control Group ◽

Individual Stimulus ◽

Therapeutic Modalities

The aim of this paper was to test the comparative effectiveness of three therapeutic modalities: a) individual stimulus control and exposure with response prevention; b) group cognitive restructuring; and c) a+b in the treatment of pathological gambling with slot machines. An additional waiting-list group was used to evaluate the spontaneous evolution of the non-treated gamblers. The sample consisted of 64 patients selected according to DSM-III-R criteria. A multigroup experimental design with repeated measures (pretreatment, posttreatment and 1, 3, 6 and 12-month follow-up) was used. Most treated patients gave up gambling as well as improved, albeit more slowly, in family/social and psychological functioning. The success rate was higher in the individual treatment compared both to group and combined treatment. There was also an improvement in gambling in the control group between the pretreatment and the 6–month follow-up and there was no difference between the combined treatment and control group. Individual stimulus control and exposure with response prevention appears to be a cost-effective therapy for pathological gambling. Implications of this study for clinical practice and future research in this field are discussed.

Download Full-text