What symptoms of disordered gambling, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression co-occur? The explanatory power of network analysis

Session Title

Session 3-2-A: Sociopsychological Factors and Problem Gambling

Presenters

Nassim Tabri, Carleton UniversityFollow
Melissa Salmon, Carleton UniversityFollow
Samantha Hollingshead, Carleton UniversityFollow
Michael Wohl, Carleton UniversityFollow

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

30-5-2019 11:00 AM

End Date

30-5-2019 12:25 PM

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

An abstract (not to exceed 200 words)

Disordered gamblers often exhibit comorbid psychiatric disorders, however, little is known about how or why these disorders co-occur. We posit that comorbidity is likely the result of one or more symptoms of disordered gambling being strongly associated with one or more symptoms of other disorders. To test this idea, we conducted a network analysis to identify relations between individual symptoms of disordered gambling, disordered eating, anxiety, and depression in a representative sample of Canadians from the Bay of Quinte region of Ontario (N=4121). Results indicated that chasing one’s losses was a central symptom in the disordered gambling network. Moreover, it connected to compensatory purging behavior in the disordered eating network. Furthermore, the disordered gambling and depression symptom networks were related indirectly though the anxiety symptom network. More specifically, the disordered gambling symptom pertaining to the need to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement was associated with the anxiety symptom pertaining to excessive worrying and difficulty stopping to do so. In turn, excessive worrying was connected to the depression symptom pertaining to feeling sad, down, or blue. This research suggests a need to focus on individual symptoms when examining the interrelation among disorders.

Word count = 199

A clear statement of the implications of the material to be presented, i.e., the “so what?” of the presentation (not to exceed 50 words)

The results make a unique theoretical contribution to the gambling studies field in terms of understanding the core symptom(s) underlying disordered gambling and the specific symptoms that connect disordered gambling with other co-occurring disorders. These findings have basic and applied significance for the treatment of disordered gambling and comorbid conditions.

Word count = 50

Keywords

disordered gambling, disordered eating, anxiety, depression, comorbidity, network analysis

Author Bios

Dr. Nassim Tabri is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. His research examines how different transdiagnostic factors (e.g., overvalued ideation, perfectionism, and impulsivity) may function together to proliferate and maintain engagement in various health compromising behaviors (e.g., disordered gambling and eating). Recent research includes how overvalued ideation of financial success may lead to and maintains disordered gambling.

Melissa Salmon is a third year PhD student in Psychology under Dr. Michael Wohl’s supervision at Carleton University. Her research focuses on overcoming barriers to behavior change among people living with addiction. Specifically, she is interested in understanding disordered gambling and how perceptions of the self can be used to promote positive behavior change. She has published 7 peer-reviewed papers and is currently funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Samantha Hollingshead is a PhD student at Carleton University. Her research primarily focuses on assessing factors that promote responsible gambling. Recently, her work has begun to examine the potential benefits and consequences of casino loyalty program membership and its long-term impact on members’ gambling attitudes and behaviours. Samantha has published 5 peer-reviewed articles and 1 chapter in an edited volume. She currently holds a graduate fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Dr. Michael Wohl is a Professor of Psychology at Carleton University. His work focuses on factors that facilitate responsible gambling, and means to overcome barriers to behavior change. Recent research includes the behavior change utility of nostalgia for the pre-addicted self, and the influence of loyalty program membership on gambling. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers. To facilitate his gambling research, Wohl has received funding from national as well as international granting agencies.

Funding Sources

The research was supported by a Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO) Secondary Analysis Grant awarded to Tabri and Wohl. GREO had no involvement in any and all aspects of the research.

Competing Interests

All authors report no competing interests.