Submission Title
Psychosocial characteristics of gambling addicts – Does it matter when they start their treatment?
Session Title
Session 1-3-A: Compounding Issues in Problem Gambling
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation
Location
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Start Date
23-5-2023 1:45 PM
End Date
23-5-2023 3:15 PM
Disciplines
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Clinical Psychology | Counseling Psychology | Health Psychology
Abstract
Abstract:
Gambling disorder is well known as a hidden addiction and therefore is subjected to a prolonged time in seeking treatment. During the development of addiction, the psychosocial functioning is more openly or covertly disrupted, and gambling addicts manifest various problems and risky behaviors. At the same time, motivational mechanism for seeking professional help are complex and influenced by different individual circumstances.
This study was conducted with N=315 patients in the Daily Clinic for Gambling Addiction. The psychosocial functioning of the patients is assessed at the beginning of the treatment, while a specific aim of this paper is to explore potential differences in their cognitive, emotional, relational, financial and occupational circumstances in relation to the time between the first symptoms of gambling disorder and the time they entered treatment at the Clinic.
The results show the strongest effects on relational and financial variables, as well as on risky and criminal behaviors. Patients who had gambling problems longer before seeking help had more financial and legal problems. For the cognitive and emotional variables, the effects between patients were not significant because they all sought treatment with a fairly complex and severe clinical picture.
Implication statements:
There is no doubt that time that elapses between the development of gambling problems and seeking treatment could have a potential for causing more adverse psychosocial consequences, but it was not clear which areas are most affected. This study highlights how the duration of gambling disorder affects personal and family functioning dominantly through financial problems and risky/delinquent behavior.
Keywords
gambling, gambling addiction, psychosocial functioning, treatment
Funding Sources
No funding for this study (professional scientific collaboration between authors).
Competing Interests
No conflict of interest for this study (professional scientific collaboration between authors).
Included in
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Clinical Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons
Psychosocial characteristics of gambling addicts – Does it matter when they start their treatment?
Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Abstract:
Gambling disorder is well known as a hidden addiction and therefore is subjected to a prolonged time in seeking treatment. During the development of addiction, the psychosocial functioning is more openly or covertly disrupted, and gambling addicts manifest various problems and risky behaviors. At the same time, motivational mechanism for seeking professional help are complex and influenced by different individual circumstances.
This study was conducted with N=315 patients in the Daily Clinic for Gambling Addiction. The psychosocial functioning of the patients is assessed at the beginning of the treatment, while a specific aim of this paper is to explore potential differences in their cognitive, emotional, relational, financial and occupational circumstances in relation to the time between the first symptoms of gambling disorder and the time they entered treatment at the Clinic.
The results show the strongest effects on relational and financial variables, as well as on risky and criminal behaviors. Patients who had gambling problems longer before seeking help had more financial and legal problems. For the cognitive and emotional variables, the effects between patients were not significant because they all sought treatment with a fairly complex and severe clinical picture.
Implication statements:
There is no doubt that time that elapses between the development of gambling problems and seeking treatment could have a potential for causing more adverse psychosocial consequences, but it was not clear which areas are most affected. This study highlights how the duration of gambling disorder affects personal and family functioning dominantly through financial problems and risky/delinquent behavior.