Positive urgency uniquely predicts increased substance use and gambling and a decreased likelihood of binge eating and food addiction.

Session Title

Poster Session

Presenters

Deepika BajajFollow
Sarah Farstad Dr.Follow
Kristin M. von Ranson, University of CalgaryFollow

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 10:30 AM

End Date

24-5-2023 11:15 AM

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

Abstract

This study compared different facets of emotion dysregulation and their associations with addictions and eating pathology. Previous research has focused on negative urgency, a facet of emotion dysregulation, and found it to be associated with gambling and substance addiction. The literature has largely neglected the role of other facets of emotion dysregulation on addictions. This study aimed to elucidate the similarities and differences between eating pathology, gambling, and substance addiction by comparing emotion dysregulation facets including positive urgency (PU). PU is the disposition to act impulsively when experiencing positive emotions. Participants were 202 community-recruited women (M_age = 36.0 years; 87.2% White) who were at risk for binge eating, gambling, or both diagnoses. PU was associated increased substance use severity (p < .01), frequency (p < .01), and gambling (p < .05). PU was also associated with a decreased likelihood of binge eating (p < .05), and a food addiction diagnosis (p < .01). These findings suggest that women may be at an increased risk for gambling and substance use when experiencing positive emotions. The results of this study highlight that eating pathology and addictive behaviours are associated with distinct emotion dysregulation deficits, suggesting they differ in important ways.

Statement of Implications

The results of our study indicate that women are at an increased risk of engaging in gambling and substance use when experiencing positive emotions. As such, interventions aimed at managing positive emotions may mitigate gambling and substance use risks.

Keywords

gambling; binge eating; substance dependence; food addiction; emotion regulation; urgency

Author Bios

Deepika Bajaj is completing her MSc and PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary. She is an Alberta Gambling Research Institute Graduate Scholar. Broadly, her research interests include the etiology and treatment of eating disorders. In one area of interest, she examines the associations between emotion dysregulation, eating pathology, and addictions in men and women.

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 and Director of Clinical Training 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 the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Intersections of Mental Health Perspectives in Addiction Research Training award to Dr. Sarah Farstad. The funding sources were not involved in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, or in writing the abstract.

Competing Interests

There are no competing interests.