title: Lifetime histories of trauma among pathological gamblers.
abstract: This study extends the work completed with pathological gamblers and substance abusers, looking at associations between a history of trauma and comorbid substance dependence, impulsivity, measures of problem severity, and personality variables. We studied 111 patients admitted to the gambling treatment program at the Brecksville VA Medical Center and found that 64% of gamblers reported a history of emotional trauma; 40.5%, physical trauma; and 24.3%, sexual trauma. Most of this trauma occurred in childhood. A history of trauma was associated with a greater relative frequency of suicide attempts and drug and alcohol dependence, more severe scores in measures of psychiatric distress, and limited effects on personality functioning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Otto.Kausch@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kausch
authors.forename: Loreen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rugle
authors.forename: Douglas Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data