Comorbidity of impulse control disorders in pathological gamblers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the rate of impulse control disorders among pathological gamblers and examine the relationship of comorbidity to gambling severity.


METHODS
Ninety-six adult pathological gamblers [mean age: 46.7 +/- 11.0 years; female: 44 (45.8%)] completed the following: Minnesota Impulsive Disorders Interview, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Modified for Pathological Gambling, and Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale.


RESULTS
Twenty-two subjects (22.9%) reported a comorbid impulse control disorder, most commonly compulsive sexual behaviour and compulsive buying. Subjects with comorbidity reported significantly greater intensity of urges (t = -2.021; df = 94; P = 0.046) and thoughts (t = -2.147; df = 42.3; P = 0.038) related to gambling, and greater interference (t = -3.913; df = 48.1; P < 0.001) and distress (t = -2.504; df = 52.7; P = 0.015) secondary to gambling urges and thoughts.


CONCLUSIONS
Impulse control disorders appear common among pathological gamblers and are associated with more severe gambling symptoms.
Grant
J E
JE
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1495, USA. grant045@umn.edu
Kim
S W
SW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index