Impulsivity, implicit attitudes and explicit cognitions, and alcohol dependence as predictors of pathological gambling.
Impulsivity, implicit attitudes and explicit cognitions regarding gambling, and alcohol abuse have been pointed out by past research as significant contributors to the development and maintenance of gambling disorders. In this study, we tested the relationship among these contributors and pathological gambling. Forty-four pathological gamblers (DSM-5 criteria), of whom 23 were active gamblers and 17 were alcohol dependent, were compared with 100 controls, consisting of patients with a lifetime history of alcohol use disorder in remission for at least 2 years. The following protocol was used for the comparison: National Opinion Research Center Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Disorders, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS), Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and Gambling Implicit Association Test (IAT). Impulsivity (BIS-11) and changes in implicit attitudes (IAT) were able to discriminate between pathological gamblers and controls, the latter being less impulsive and having fewer implicit attitudes towards gambling. Cognitive impulsivity (BIS-11), explicit gambling cognitions (GRCS), and alcohol dependence were able to discriminate between active and non-active pathological gamblers, the latter having less cognitive impulsivity and less explicit gambling cognitions and alcohol dependence. Using these simple tools can help clinicians in the assessment of pathological gambling.
Addiction Treatment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Galician Health System Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain. Electronic address: gerardof@mundo-r.com.
Gerardo
G
Flórez
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain.
Pilar A
PA
Saiz
Addiction Treatment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Galician Health System Spain.
Emilia M
EM
Santamaría
Addiction Treatment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Galician Health System Spain.
Sandra
S
Álvarez
Addiction Treatment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Galician Health System Spain.
Luis
L
Nogueiras
Department of Psychiatry, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Galician Health System, Spain.
Manuel
M
Arrojo
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
Alcoholism; Cognitive distortion; Gambling disorder; Implicit cognition