Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Online Gamers
Published on: November 9, 2019
Recreational gamblers with and without parental addiction
Liana Renée Nelson Schreiber1, Brian Lawrence Odlaug, Jon Edgar Grant
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Children with addicted parents are more prone to gambling problems and psychiatric issues, even in recreational gambling. This highlights environmental and genetic risks for addiction susceptibility.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Addiction Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Parental addiction increases psychopathology risk in offspring.
- Recreational gambling may precede pathological gambling development.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare young adult recreational gamblers with and without parental addiction.
- Assess gambling behavior, impulsivity, and psychiatric comorbidities.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 286 recreational gamblers (ages 18-29).
- Interviews, cognitive testing, and self-report measures.
- Assessed parental addiction history (alcohol, substance dependence, gambling).
Main Results:
- 18.53% reported at least one parent with an addiction.
- Subjects with addicted parents showed more gambling-related problems.
- Higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity and substance use (marijuana, tobacco) were observed.
- No significant differences in impulsivity measures were found.
Conclusions:
- Parental addiction is linked to problematic gambling behaviors and increased comorbidity in young adults.
- Environmental/genetic risks associated with parental addiction manifest early.
- These findings suggest early indicators of addiction susceptibility in low-risk gamblers.
Related Concept Videos
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug Dependence
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...

