title: Compulsive Buying Behavior: Characteristics of Comorbidity with Gambling Disorder.
abstract: Compulsive buying behavior (CBB) has begun to be recognized as a condition worthy of attention by clinicians and researchers. Studies on the commonalities between CBB and other behavioral addictions such as gambling disorder (GD) exist in the literature, but additional research is needed to assess the frequency and clinical relevance of the comorbidity of CBB and GD. The aim of the study was to estimate the point-prevalence of CBB+GD in a clinical setting. Data corresponded to n = 3221 treatment-seeking patients who met criteria for CBB or GD at a public hospital unit specialized in treating behavioral addictions. Three groups were compared: only-CBB (n = 127), only-GD (n = 3118) and comorbid CBB+GD (n = 24). Prevalence for the co-occurrence of CBB+GD was 0.75%. In the stratum of patients with GD, GD+CBB comorbidity obtained relatively low point prevalence (0.77%), while in the subsample of CBB patients the estimated prevalence of comorbid GD was relatively high (18.9%). CBB+GD comorbidity was characterized by lower prevalence of single patients, higher risk of other behavioral addictions (sex, gaming or internet), older age and age of onset. CBB+GD registered a higher proportion of women compared to only-GD (37.5 vs. 10.0%) but a higher proportion of men compared to only-CBB (62.5 vs. 24.4%). Compared to only-GD patients, the simultaneous presence of CBB+GD was associated with increased psychopathology and dysfunctional levels of harm avoidance. This study provides empirical evidence to better understand CBB, GD and their co-occurrence. Future research should help delineate the processes through which people acquire and develop this comorbidity.
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Granero
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández-Aranda
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steward
authors.affiliation: Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mestre-Bach
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baño
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department of Mental Health, Public Health, Maternal and Child Health, Nursing School, University of Barcelona Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Pino-Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moragas
authors.affiliation: Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aymamí
authors.affiliation: Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez-Peña
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mallorquí-Bagué
authors.affiliation: Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Salomé
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tárrega
authors.affiliation: Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain; Ciber de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Menchón
authors.affiliation: Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIBarcelona, Spain; Pathological Gambling Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELLBarcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Murcia
keywords: behavioral addictions; comorbidity; compulsive buying behavior; gambling disorder; prevalence