Gambling and Impulsivity Traits

A Recipe for Criminal Behavior

Bibliographic Data

ID15528834
AuthorsGemma Mestre‐Bach (0000-0001-5345-0484, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge), Trevor Steward (0000-0003-3116-8175, Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Roser Granero (0000-0001-6308-3198, Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Fernando Fernández‐aranda (0000-0002-2968-9898, Universitat de Barcelona), María Teresa Talón-Navarro, Àngel Cuquerella, Marta Baño (0000-0002-9916-611X, Bellvitge University Hospital), Laura Moragas (0000-0001-5235-7026, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge), Amparo del Pino‐Gutiérrez (0000-0002-2854-9850, Universitat de Barcelona), Neus Aymamí (Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge), Mónica Gómez‐Peña (0000-0001-6194-8266, Bellvitge University Hospital), Núria Mallorquí‐Bagué (0000-0003-1434-3162, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge), Cristina Vintró‐Alcaraz (0000-0001-9453-8810, Bellvitge University Hospital), Pablo Magaña (0000-0002-1888-0857, Universitat Pompeu Fabra), José M Menchón (0000-0002-6231-6524, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental), Susana Jiménez‐múrcia (0000-0002-3596-8033, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume9
Pages6-6
Publication date2018-01-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00006
PMID29434553
OpenAlexW2792963281
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited14

Gambling disorder (GD) is a psychiatric condition that was recently recategorized as a non-substance-related addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders. Criminal activity is commonly associated with gambling; however, few empirical studies to date have examined sociodemographic and psychological variables in this population. In this study, we explored criminal behavior history in a sample of consecutively recruited treatment-seeking gamblers ( n = 382) and compared subjects with a history of illegal acts ( n = 103, 26.9%) to those with no criminal record ( n = 279, 73.1%). Impulsivity and personality traits were specifically explored, along with other gambling-related severity factors. We found that gamblers who engaged in illegal activity were more likely to endorse high levels of urgency (i.e., the tendency to act out when experiencing heightened emotional states) and increased lack of premeditation. Gamblers with a history of criminal behavior also had greater GD severity levels and gambling-related debts. Additionally, these gamblers reported lower levels of self-directedness, which is characterized by difficulty in establishing and redirecting behavior toward one's goals. Likewise, gamblers who had conducted criminal acts showed a tendency to engage in greater risk-taking behavior. These results shed new light on this understudied population and provide insights for developing targeted harm-prevention interventions and treatment protocols

Addiction · Big Five personality traits · Criminal behavior · Criminal history · Emotional dysregulation · Harm avoidance · Impulsivity · Personality · Population · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Clinical Psychology · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Medicine · Psychology · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology · Social Psychology

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