Binge Eating and Gambling Are Prospectively Associated with Common and Distinct Deficits in Emotion Regulation among Community Women

Session Title

Session 2-2-A: Behavior and Detection

Presenters

Sarah M. Farstad, Forensic Psychiatric Services CommissionFollow
Kristin M. von Ranson, University of CalgaryFollow

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

29-5-2019 11:00 AM

End Date

29-5-2019 12:25 PM

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

This study compared facets of emotion regulation associated prospectively with binge eating and problem gambling to elucidate similarities and differences between eating pathology and a behavioral addiction. Women from the community (N = 202) who engaged in at-risk binge eating (n = 79), at-risk gambling (n = 36), or both behaviors (n = 87) completed four online assessments over six months. Baseline and six-month surveys assessed self-reported emotion dysregulation (including negative urgency and positive urgency), binge eating, and gambling; the abbreviated two- and four-month surveys assessed binge eating and gambling only. Binge eating and problem gambling were both associated with emotion dysregulation. However, greater positive urgency was associated with increased gambling involvement and more severe problem gambling, yet slower increases in eating-related impairment over time. Negative urgency did not explain unique variance in eating pathology or gambling once other facets of emotion dysregulation were considered, which suggests that previous cross-sectional research may have overestimated the association between negative urgency and both eating pathology and problem gambling. These findings suggest that positive urgency is uniquely associated with increased gambling frequency and severity; therefore, women who engage in at-risk gambling may benefit from interventions that target the regulation of positive emotions.

Statement of Implications: Our findings suggest that the experience of strong positive emotions (i.e., ecstatic, excited, overjoyed) could place certain women at greater risk of engaging in gambling than binge eating. Therefore, women who engage in at-risk gambling may benefit from interventions that target the regulation of positive emotions.

Keywords

Emotion regulation; Urgency; Binge eating; Problem gambling; Prospective

Author Bios

Dr. Farstad is a registered psychologist with a practice in clinical and forensic psychology. Her program of research has explored the similarities and differences between eating pathology and various addictions. In particular, her research has focused on how emotions and emotion dysregulation are associated with eating pathology, substance use, and problematic gambling among community-based adults and young offenders.

Dr. von Ranson, Professor of Psychology at the University of Calgary, is a clinical psychologist with expertise in eating disorders and related issues. Her program of research aims to reduce the burden of eating disorders across the lifespan. In one line of research, she examines associations between eating disorders and addictions, including how addictive behaviours such as gambling relate to eating pathology.

Funding Sources

This research was supported by scholarships from the Alberta Gambling Research Institute and Intersections of Mental Health Perspectives in Addictions Research Training awarded to the first author. The funding bodies were not involved in any aspect of the research design, conduct, or analysis.

Competing Interests

Neither author has had any competing interests over the past three years. Although these are not competing interests, Dr. von Ranson has received the following funding in the past three years: 1. Co-investigator on two grants: an Alberta Gambling Research Institute Team Development Grant awarded to David Hodgins (2018-2019) and a University of Calgary Eyes High International Collaborative Grant for New Researchers awarded to Dan McGrath (2016) 2. PI on a University of Calgary Campus Mental Health Strategy Grant (2017) and a seed grant from The Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research (i.e., PolicyWise for Children and Families) (2016-2017).