Personality traits and disorders in pathological gamblers versus normal controls.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the personality traits and disorders of pathological gamblers in treatment by means of a descriptive cross-sectional study of two prospective matched-pair cohorts: 50 pathological gamblers versus a control group of 50 normal volunteers (non-patient and non-pathological gamblers). All the pathological gamblers of the sample followed treatment as out-patients in the province of Valencia (Spain-EU). Recruitment period: January-May 2004.
South Oaks Gambling Screen, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, Sensation Seeking Scale, and Structured Clinical Interview for Personality Disorders of Axis II of DSM-IV.


CONCLUSIONS
Male pathological gamblers go more often to health and social care facilities. Pathological gamblers prefer to play slot machines, present a higher prevalence of personality disorders, most of them belonging to cluster B, are more impulsive and higher sensation seekers than the controls. There are no linear relationships between the severity of pathological gambling and the traits of impulsivity and sensation seeking respectively.
Unit of Mental Health of Torrente (Valencia), Health Department 9, Valencian Health Agency, Spain.
Cristina
C
Sáez-Abad
José Manuel
JM
Bertolín-Guillén
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002605:Character; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain