title: Clinical and personality characteristics associated with post traumatic stress disorder in problem and pathological gamblers recruited from the community.
abstract: Problem and pathological gamblers (PPGs) are more likely than the general population to experience co-occurring psychiatric problems. However, the problem gambling literature has largely overlooked the importance of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a prevalent co-occurring condition among PPGs. This study examined clinical differences between PPGs with and without a history of co-occurring PTSD. Lifetime PPGs (N = 150) recruited from community sources completed clinical assessments including measures of problem gambling severity, co-occurring psychiatric conditions, gambling motivations and personality traits. Over 19% of the participants met criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD. Those presenting with PTSD histories were more likely to be women, and were more likely to have lifetime substance use disorder (abuse and/or dependence) and substance dependence, lifetime major depressive disorder, current dysthymic disorder, and lifetime and current anxiety disorder. Those with lifetime PTSD also were more likely to use gambling as a way to cope with negative emotions and experienced greater negative emotionality. Few PPGs (16%) had ever sought treatment for their gambling problems. PTSD is a prevalent condition among individuals with lifetime PPG recruited from the community, and is associated with greater psychiatric co-morbidity among these populations. More research is needed to further understand the relationship between gambling and trauma, and better outreach is needed to encourage these individuals to seek treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada, dledgerw@med.wayne.edu.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ledgerwood
authors.forename: Aleks
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milosevic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult