Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers

Little is known about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among pathological gamblers (PGs), even though the two disorders share several clinical characteristics. We examined the relationship between pathological gambling and PTSD on measures of gambling disorder severity, experience of specific traumas, psychiatric symptoms, impulsivity, and dissociation. A total of 149 treatment-seeking PGs were surveyed. Participants were divided into two groups on the basis of their score on the PTSD Checklist (Weathers, Litz, Herman, Huska, & Keane, 1993). Thirty-four percent (n = 51) reported a high frequency of PTSD symptoms. Participants who had high scores reported greater lifetime gambling severity, psychiatric symptom severity, impulsivity, and dissociation than participants who had low PTSD symptom scores. These findings point to a need for more assessment and research about PTSD in PGs.