Gambling Behavior Severity and Psychological, Family, and Contextual Variables: A Comparative Analysis. Issue 3 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cunha, Diana; De Sousa, Bruno; Fonseca, Gabriela; Relvas, Ana Paula
• Is Part Of: Journal of social work practice in the addictions. Volume 16:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 266
• Page End: 289
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: context -- couple -- family -- gambling severity -- individual; Social work with drug addicts -- Periodicals; Social work with alcoholics -- Periodicals; Drug abuse -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Drug abuse counseling -- Periodicals; 362.29
• DOI: 10.1080/1533256X.2016.1200985
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1533-256X

Abstract

Abstract : This study compares 3 groups consisting of individuals with no gambling problem, those with some problem, and pathological gamblers, according to the following 4 levels of analysis: social context (i.e., accessibility and social acceptance), family context (i.e., family of origin issues, family functioning, and family quality of life), marital issues (i.e., marital satisfaction and adjustment), and individual issues (i.e., congruence, differentiation of self, and psychopathological symptoms). The study protocol of 8 standardized scales, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and 6 independent questions was administered to 331 adults. The main results indicate that although the 2 groups of nonpathological gamblers exhibited differing levels of gambling severity, they did not differ statistically, suggesting that gambling-related problems were only evident when a pathological level was attained. The pathological gamblers exhibited a greater number of family, marital, and individual difficulties compared to the other 2 groups.