title: Obsessive-compulsive aspects and pathological gambling in an Italian sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gambling behaviour appears as repetitive and difficult to resist and seems to be aimed at neutralizing or reducing negative feelings such as anxiety and tension, confirming its similarities with the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. Aims. Estimating the prevalence of gambling behaviour in an Italian sample and assessing the effects of sociodemographic variables and the correlations between gambling behaviour and obsessive-compulsive features.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 300 Italian subjects was evaluated based on gambling behaviours and obsessive-compulsive attitudes. The assessment was carried out in small centers in Italy, mainly in coffee and tobacco shops, where slot machines are located, using the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the MOCQ-R, a reduced form of Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A negative correlation between SOGS and MOPQ-R, with reference to the control and cleaning subscales, was evidenced in the majority of the examined subjects. Both evaluating instruments showed reliability and a good discriminative capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study evidenced that the sample of gamblers we analysed did not belong to the obsessive-compulsive disorders area, supporting the validity of the model proposed by DSM-5 for the classification of PG. These data confirm the importance of investing in treatments similar to those used for substance use disorders.
authors: Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Petruccelli
authors: Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
authors: Pierluigi
authors: P
authors: Diotaiuti
authors: Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Verrastro
authors: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy.
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Petruccelli
authors: Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
authors: Maria Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Carenti
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Psychiatry, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: De Berardis
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, Federico II University of Naples, 80138 Naples, Italy.
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Iasevoli
authors: Hermanas Hospitalarias, Villa San Giuseppe Hospital, 63100 Ascoli Piceno, Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Valchera
authors: Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy.
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Fornaro
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Psychiatry, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Martinotti
authors: Department of Neuroscience and Imaging, Institute of Psychiatry, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Di Giannantonio
authors: Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology, Catholic University of Rome, 00198 Rome, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Janiri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult