Decision-Making Styles, Negative Affectivity, and Cognitive Distortions in Adolescent Gambling
Marina Cosenza1, Maria Ciccarelli2, Giovanna Nigro2
1Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy. marina.cosenza@unicampania.it.
Journal of Gambling Studies
|July 1, 2018
Summary
Problem gambling in adolescents is linked to negative emotions and cognitive distortions. This study reveals that maladaptive decision-making styles also significantly contribute to gambling severity in teens.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Problem gamblers exhibit heightened cognitive distortions and negative affect compared to recreational gamblers.
- Increased gambling severity correlates with poorer performance in affective decision-making tasks.
- Existing research on gambling and decision-making primarily examines outcomes, neglecting decision-making styles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between negative affectivity, cognitive distortions, and decision-making styles in adolescent problem gambling.
- To identify specific decision-making styles that may act as risk factors for gambling disorder in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 425 adolescents (aged 14-19) using validated scales for problem gambling, negative affect, cognitive distortions, and decision-making styles.
- Statistical analyses included correlational analysis, ANOVAs, and hierarchical regression analysis to examine predictors of gambling severity.
Main Results:
- Adolescent gambling severity was significantly predicted by gender, interpretative bias, inability to stop gambling, depression, and a spontaneous decision-making style.
- Negative affective states and cognitive distortions were confirmed as significant factors in adolescent problem gambling.
Conclusions:
- Maladaptive decision-making styles, particularly the spontaneous style, represent a novel risk factor for gambling disorder in adolescents.
- Findings underscore the importance of considering cognitive, affective, and stylistic decision-making factors in understanding and addressing adolescent gambling.
- Interventions for adolescent gambling may benefit from targeting maladaptive decision-making patterns.
Keywords:
Adolescent gamblingCognitive distortionsDecision-making stylesGamblingGambling disorderNegative affectivityMore Related Videos
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