title: A meta-analysis examining the relations among pathological gambling, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and obsessive-compulsive traits.
abstract: Pathological gambling has been proposed to belong to the obsessive-compulsive spectrum of disorders. Disorders on this spectrum are thought to share similar clinical features, neurobiology, and responses to treatment as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A total of 18 studies were included in a meta-analysis to assess the strength of the association between these disorders. A strong relationship (effect size = 1.01) was found between pathological gambling and obsessive-compulsive traits. A weak relationship was found between pathological gambling and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (.07) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (effect size = .23). These results suggest pathological gambling and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder are distinct disorders. However, pathological gamblers do appear to show high rates of obsessive-compulsive traits relative to controls. These findings are only moderately supportive of the inclusion of pathological gambling within the obsessive-compulsive spectrum of conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Durdle
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gorey
authors.forename: Sherry H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009770:Obsessive Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires