Title

Modeling Potential Psychological Risk Factors of Pathological Gambling

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2000

Source Publication

Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Abstract

This paper proposes a model of potential psychological risk factors antecedent to pathological gambling. Proposed relationships are tested using a structural equations methodology for 2 samples: (a) gamblers composed of members of Gamblers Anonymous and individuals clinically diagnosed and in treatment for pathological gambling. and (b) a demographically matched sample drawn from the general population of a 3-state area from which the gamblers were recruited. Results show both intriguing similarities and differences in relationships among the risk factors. Specifically. for these 2 samples, relationships among the constructs of neurotic/obsessive thoughts, self-esteem, impulsiveness, and anxiety/nervousness are generally similar, but relationships between model constructs and a measure of probable pathological gambling varies across the samples.

Comments

Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Volume 30, Issue 10, pp 2058–2078 (October, 2000). DOI: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2000.tb02424.x