title: Gambling and violence in a nationally representative sample of UK men.
abstract: The relationship between violence and problem gambling in general population samples is under-researched and requires further attention to inform treatment and prevention efforts. We investigated the relationship between gambling problems and violence among men and sought to determine if the link can be accounted for by mental disorders, alcohol and drug dependence and impulsivity.
  
  
  
  A cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  
  A UK representative general population survey conducted in 2009.
  
  
  
  A total of 3025 UK men aged 18-64 years.
  
  
  
  Binary logistic regression was used to examine relationships. Outcome measures included gambling behaviour and self-reports of violence. Covariates included alcohol and drug dependence, mental illness, impulsivity and socio-demography.
  
  
  
  Problem gambling and probable pathological gambling were associated with increased odds of the perpetration of violence [adjusted odd ratios (AOR) = 3.09, confidence interval (CI) = 1.90-5.00 and 4.09, CI = 2.76-6.30, respectively] and a range of other behaviours, such as using a weapon (AORs = 4.93, CI = 2.52-9.63 and 6.33, CI = 3.52-11.38) and the perpetration of intimate partner violence (AOR = 9.80, CI =2.45-39.04). The results were attenuated when adjusted for comorbid mental illness and impulsivity, but remained statistically significant. Alcohol and drug dependence had the most impact; relationships were most attenuated when they added into the models, with the latter having the largest effect.
  
  
  
  Among men in the United Kingdom, self-reports of problem/pathological gambling remain predictive of a range of measures of violent behaviour after adjusting for alcohol and drug dependence, comorbid mental disorder and impulsivity; of the covariates, alcohol and drug dependence have the greatest effect in attenuating the gambling-violence association.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2889-9551
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Violence Prevention Research Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, East London NHS Foundation Trust and Queen Mary University of London, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coid
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Raegan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Henrietta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bowden-Jones
authors.affiliation: Gambling and Addictions Research Centre Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Katie Palmer
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Du Preez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Gambling and Addictions Research Centre Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000437:Alcoholism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gambling; intimate partner violence; men; problem gambling; substance use; violence