Prevalence of pathological gambling in treatment-seeking addicted patients: An exploratory study with the South Oaks Gambling Screen

Authors

  • Javier Fernández-Montalvo Universidad Pública de Navarra
  • José Javier López-Goñi Universidad Pública de Navarra
  • Alfonso Arteaga Universidad Pública de Navarra
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.28.2.147611
Keywords: Pathological gambling, addiction, alcoholism, cocaine dependence, comorbidity

Supporting Agencies

  • Grant (code 2/2006) from the Health Department of Navarre Government (Spain).

Abstract

In the current paper, the prevalence of pathological gambling in 112 treatment-seeking patients with substance addiction (81 alcoholics and 31 cocaine dependents) was estimated. The DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling and the Spanish version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) were used. The results showed that 22.3% of substance-addicted patients had a comorbid diagnosis of pathological gambling. Furthermore, an additional 11.6% of the sample had relevant symptoms for problem gambling. In sum, 33.9% of the sample reported clinically significant gambling-related symptoms. From a socio-demographic point of view, all substance-addicted patients with gambling-related symptoms were men. A comparison between substance-addicted patients with and without pathological gambling showed significant differences in alcohol severity (assessed by the EuropASI), psychopathological symptoms (assessed by the SCL-90-R) and personality variables (assessed by the MCMI-II). In all cases, scores were significantly higher in gamblers than in non-gamblers. Finally, the implications of these results for further research and clinical practice are commented upon.

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How to Cite
Fernández-Montalvo, J., López-Goñi, J. J., & Arteaga, A. (2012). Prevalence of pathological gambling in treatment-seeking addicted patients: An exploratory study with the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Anales de Psicología / Annals of Psychology, 28(2), 344–349. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.28.2.147611
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Section
Clinical and Health Psychology