Personality dimensions of male pathological gamblers, alcoholics, and dually addicted gamblers

Previously published studies of MMPI characteristics of pathological gamblers have failed to control for the possible confounding influence of co-existing alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders. This limits the generalizability of such studies since gamblers' MMPI profiles closely resemble profiles of alcoholics. The current study compares MMPI scores for 96 alcoholics with 136 pathological gamblers of which 81 had co-existing alcohol dependence or abuse and 55 had no substance abuse disorder. All were hospitalized male inpatients in a private psychiatric dual diagnosis program (treating addiction and a co-morbid psychiatric disorder). Gamblers had significantly higher mean scores than alcoholics alone on education level and socioeconomic status. Otherwise, no differences on MMPI scores emerged for pathological gamblers in comparison to alcoholics. Nor did differences emerge when non-alcoholic gamblers were compared to either alcoholic gamblers or alcoholics alone. Results are discussed in terms of treatment implications, as well as indicating a need for exploring personality measures which might differentiate more sharply the clinically construed personality differences of pathological gamblers.