The association between gambling pathology and personality disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Problem gambling (PG) and pathological gambling disorder (PGD) are linked to substance abuse and psychiatric disorders.
• Previous studies on personality disorder comorbidity in gambling disorders have not adequately controlled for Axis I disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between personality disorder pathology and gambling disorder risk.
• To examine the influence of comorbid conditions, specifically substance abuse and depressive symptoms, on this relationship.

Main Methods:

• 153 gamblers were recruited for a clinical validation study of a computerized gambling assessment module (C-GAM).
• Gamblers were classified into Non-gamblers, PG, and PGD groups based on DSM-IV criteria.
• Personality disorder pathology was assessed using the computerized structured clinical interview of DSM-IV Axis II (SCID-II).
• Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the data, adjusting for various confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Increased odds of PGD were associated with greater borderline personality disorder symptoms after adjusting for socio-demographics, substance abuse, and other personality disorders.
• However, this association became nonsignificant after further adjustment for depressive symptoms.
• This suggests a complex, potentially mediated relationship between borderline personality disorder, depression, and gambling pathology.

Conclusions:

• The findings highlight a complex relationship between personality pathology, depressive symptoms, and gambling disorders.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the intricate associations between gambling pathology, personality disorders, and depression.