title: Mediational Role of Age of Onset in Gambling Disorder, a Path Modeling Analysis.
abstract: The aim of the study is to assess a mediational pathway, which includes patients' sex, personality traits, age of onset of gambling disorder (GD) and gambling-related variables. The South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R) and the Temperament and Character Inventory-R were administered to a large sample of 1632 outpatients attending a specialized outpatient GD unit. Sociodemographic variables were also recorded. A Structural Equation Model was adjusted to assess the pathway. Age of onset mediated between personality profile (novelty seeking and self-transcendence) and GD severity and depression symptoms (measured by SCL-90-R). Sex had a direct effect on GD onset and depression symptoms: men initiated the GD earlier and reported fewer depression symptoms. Age of onset is a mediating variable between sex, personality traits, GD severity and depression symptoms. These empirical results provide new evidence about the underlying etiological process of dysfunctional behaviors related to gambling, and may help to guide the development of more effective treatment and prevention programs aimed at high-risk groups such as young men with high levels of novelty seeking and self-transcendence.
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. sjimenez@bellvitgehospital.cat.|Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain. sjimenez@bellvitgehospital.cat.|Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. sjimenez@bellvitgehospital.cat.
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Jiménez-Murcia
authors: Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.|Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Roser
authors: R
authors: Granero
authors: Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Salomé
authors: S
authors: Tárrega
authors: Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Ariadna
authors: A
authors: Angulo
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.|Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Fernández-Aranda
authors: Leicester Eating Disorders Service, Leicester Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK.
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Arcelus
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.|Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Ana B
authors: AB
authors: Fagundo
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Neus
authors: N
authors: Aymamí
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Moragas
authors: Addictology and Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Sauvaget
authors: Addictology and Psychiatry Department, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Grall-Bronnec
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Mónica
authors: M
authors: Gómez-Peña
authors: Gambling Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Ciber de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: José M
authors: JM
authors: Menchón
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age of onset; Gambling disorder; Mediational variables; Pathways; Personality traits; SEM