title: The Association among Childhood Trauma, Pathological Dissociation and Gambling Severity in Casino Gamblers.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to explore the role of pathological dissociation in mediating the association between childhood trauma (CT) and gambling severity. One hundred seventy-one (134 men and 37 women) gamblers recruited in gambling environments (i.e., two Italian casinos) have been enrolled in the study. Psychopathological assessments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), the CAGE and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A mediational model, analyzing the direct and indirect effects of CTQ on SOGS through the mediating role of DES-T, showed that the relation between CTQ and SOGS was fully mediated by DES-T scores (b = 0.07; se = 0.15; p < 0.001). This finding raises the possibility that CT explains gambling severity through the presence of pathological dissociative symptoms and dissociative pathogenetic processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gambling severity is associated with both childhood trauma and pathological dissociation in casino gamblers. A mediational model shows that the effect of childhood trauma on gambling severity is entirely mediated by pathological dissociation. From a clinical point of view, our results highlight the importance of assessing, and possibly treating, dissociative symptoms in individuals with gambling disorder.
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Imperatori
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innamorati
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Imbimbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pompili
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Contardi
authors.affiliation: Università Europea di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000068099:Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Childhood Trauma; Gambling Severity; Mediational Model; Pathological Dissociation