Articles On The Characteristics
of Problem & Pathological Gamblers
Journal of Gambling
Studies
by Henry
R. Lesieur
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Pathological
Gambling: Roots, Phases, and Treatment.
Henry R. Lesieur and Robert L. Custer. Annals,
AAPSS, 474, p146-156, July 1984. This article traces the roots, causes and
phases of pathological gambling. According to 1974 surveys by the gambling
commission, 61 percent of the United States populace gambles. This same survey
estimated that there are 1.1 million "probable compulsive gamblers" in
the U.S. With the establishment of Gamblers Anonymous in 1957, society's view of
those who gambled beyond their means changed from a moral issue to a
medical/illness issue. Pathological gamblers were found to exhibit certain
physiological traits, such as high energy levels, hyperactivity and high
tolerance of stress. The sociological view that pathological gamblers have
positive rewards convincing them of the benefits of gambling was supported with
evidence of a big win early in the career of the pathological gambler.
The
South Oaks Gambling Screen SOGS: A New Instrument for the Identification of
Pathological Gamblers. Henry Lesieur
and Sheila Blume. Am J Psychiatry 144:9,
p1184-1188, Sept. 1987. A detailed description of the SOGS and how it was
developed. The SOGS appears to be a valid, reliable screening instrument for the
rapid screening of alcoholic, drug dependent and other patients for pathological
gambling. Previous studies of substance-abusing inpatients had shown clear
connections between various forms of substance abuse and the presence of
pathological gambling. Other studies found a connection between prison
populations and pathological gambling.
Characteristics
of Pathological Gamblers Identified Among Patients on a Psychiatric Admissions
Service. Henry R. Lesieur and Sheila
B. Blume. Hospital and Community
Psychiatry, p1009-1012, Sept. 1990. Psychiatric patients were found to have
a much higher incidence of pathological gambling than the general population. A
significant number also came from families with a history of problem gambling.
Pathological
Gambling. Richard J. Rosenthal. Psychiatric Annals 22:2, p72-78, Feb. 1992. Pathological gambling is
very similar in definition and symptoms to substance dependence. This article
discusses the evolution of the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing pathological
gamblers. Various studies of pathological gamblers in treatment reveal that
approximately 50 percent have histories of alcohol or drug abuse. In males, the
disorder typically begins in adolescence. Females typically start gambling later
in life, are more apt to be depressed, and gamble as a means of escaping the
depression. It is not unusual for male gamblers to have a history of 20 to 30
years when they seek treatment, compared with three years for females.
The
Pull of the Fruit Machine: A Sociological Typology of Young Players.
Sue Fisher. The Editorial Board of the
Sociological Review, p446-475, 1993. A study of why young people gamble on
the "fruit machines," in the United Kingdom. These slot machines are
legally available to children at arcades, cafes, fish and chip shops and
(illegally) at pubs. The only restrictions are voluntary codes at certain
premises prohibiting access to those under sixteen. Children and young people
account for approximately 25 percent of all new members of Gamblers Anonymous in
the United Kingdom. Primary reasons for gambling include: ego enhancement,
solving the technical problems presented by the machine, action, opportunity for
gender exploration and temporary escape.
Impulse
Control Disorders and Attention Deficit Disorder in Pathological Gamblers.
Sheila M. Specker, Gregory A. Carlson, Gary A. Christenson and Michael Marcotte.
Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, Vol. 7(4),
p175-179, 1995. This study found significantly higher rates of other impulse
control disorders and attention deficit disorder in compulsive gamblers than in
a control group of "normal" individuals. 35 percent of the compulsive
gamblers were found to have an impulse control disorder with attention deficit
disorder found in 20 percent. Of particular interest were high rates of
compulsive buying and compulsive sexual behavior among the compulsive gamblers.
Gender,
Gambling and Problem Gambling. Joseph
Hraba and Gang Lee. Journal of Gambling Studies, Vol. 12(1), p83-101, Spring, 1996. This
article is based on data from a 1989 Iowa survey. The results of the survey
showed female gambling behavior was lower than that of males due to their having
a narrower scope of gambling behavior. There were no significant differences
between genders in frequency of play, amount wagered or time spent gambling. The
genders were similar on problem gambling but differed significantly on
predictors of problem gambling. Alcohol was a predominate predictor for males
and estrangement from a conventional lifestyle and integration into a social
world of gambling explained problem gambling for females.
Psychopathology
in Pathological Gamblers Seeking Treatment: Gender Comparisons.
Sheila M. Specker, Gregory A. Carlson, Karen M. Edmonson, Paula E. Johnson and
Michael Marcotte. Journal of Gambling
Studies, Vol. 12(1), p67-81, Spring, 1996. This report found high rates of
Axis I psychopathology, such as depression and substance abuse/dependency, in
pathological gamblers as compared to controls. Rates of affective and substance
use disorders were equally high in men and women. Axis II personality disorders,
such as paranoia or avoidant behaviors, were not frequent and did not differ
significantly from controls. Significant rates of sexual/physical abuse were
found. Pathological gambling is probably not a homogeneous disorder. Persons
with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders may be at higher risk to develop
pathological gambling.
Potential
and Probable Pathological Gamblers: Where Do the Differences Lie? Dominique
Dube', Mark H. Freeston and Robert Ladouceur.
Journal of Gambling Studies, Vol. 12(4), p419-430, Winter, 1996. The SOGS
test was given to 1,471 college students in Quebec. The results showed a
pathological gambling rate of 2.8 percent overall, with a much higher percentage
for males (5.7 percent) than females (0.6 percent). The analysis also
differentiated the probable from potential pathological gamblers in Illegal
Behaviors, Heavy Gambling, Parentally Modeled/Less Impulsive and Worry factors.
Video
Lottery Gambling: Effects on Pathological Gamblers Seeking Treatment in South
Dakota. Timothy Morgan, Lial Kofoed, Jerry Buchkoski and Robert D. Carr.
Journal of Gambling Studies, Vol. 12(4), p451-460, Winter, 1996. Fifty-eight
pathological gamblers receiving treatment for addictive illness in two South
Dakota hospitals were grouped by gambling activities. The results showed that
video lottery was the predominant gambling activity for this group, suggesting
an association of video lottery stimuli and severity of addiction.
Understanding
the Means and Objects of Addiction: Technology, the Internet and Gambling.
Howard J. Shaffer. Journal of Gambling
Studies, Vol. 12(4), p461-469, Winter, 1996. This article describes how
using new computer technology and the Internet for gambling can represent both
the means and object of addiction. Through exploring the concept of addiction,
its social setting, neurochemistry and gaming characteristics, this article
suggests that addiction is the result of shifts in subjective experience and
that new technology and the Internet can provide relatively reliable and potent
contemporary vehicles for changing emotional states.
Altered
Dopamine Function in Pathological Gambling. C.
Bergh, T. Eklund, P. Sodersten & C. Nordin. Psychological
Medicine, Vol. 27, p473-475, 1997. Swedish researchers examined the dopamine
levels of cerebral spinal fluids (CSF) in ten pathological gamblers compared
with seven controls. The findings suggest that changes in dopamine levels play a
role in the psychopathology of pathological gambling. Several questions remain
to be answered: do dopamine level changes result from the influence of
pathological gambling, are some people vulnerable to gambling as a result of a
deficient dopamine level, or are both of these possibilities associated with a
third independent factor?
Pathological Gambling
and Criminal Behavior. Dr. Gerhard Meyer. 10th
International Conference on Gambling and Risk-Taking, Montreal.
University of Bremen, Germany. June 4, 1997. This article explores the link
between pathological gambling and criminal activity. The author points out that
the commission of a crime by a compulsive gambler does not necessarily mean that
gambling was the cause of the criminal activity. In almost half of the cases
studied, criminal activity preceded the onset of problem gambling. The research
concluded that while pathological gambling behavior is an important component of
criminal activities, other variables such as personality and social attachment
also influence the level of criminal behavior.
