title: Sleep and gambling severity in a community sample of gamblers.
abstract: Although sleep has been extensively studied in substance related disorders, it has yet to be examined as thoroughly in gambling-related disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gambling severity and sleep disturbances in a sample of non-treatment seeking gamblers (N = 96) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Mean ESS scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 4.13, 5.81, and 8.69, respectively, with a significant difference between pathological gamblers and both problem (P = .007) and recreational gamblers (P < .001). Mean PSQI scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 3.35, 5.30, and 5.44, respectively, with a significant difference in sleep quality between recreational and problem gamblers (P = .018), as well as recreational and pathological gamblers (P = .008). As the first study to use objective sleep measures, these findings will not only increase awareness of this relationship, but also provide a foundation on which others can investigate the benefits of screening and adjunct treatment for sleep disorders in the gambling population.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Gambling Studies Program, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, California, USA. iparhami@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Parhami
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siani
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collard
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires