Metacognition and Personality Functioning Levels as Mediators Between Maladaptive Personality Traits and Risk of...

This study investigates the role of metacognition and personality functioning levels as mediators in the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and the risk of problematic gambling (PG) within a non-clinical adult sample.

A cross-sectional design was employed with 619 participants who completed self-report questionnaires assessing maladaptive personality traits, metacognitive abilities, personality functioning levels, and gambling-related behaviors. Instruments included the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the Assessment of DSM-IV Personality Disorders, the Metacognition Self-Assessment Scale, and the Levels of Personality Functioning Scale-Self Report. Data were analyzed using linear regression and serial mediation analyses.

The findings revealed that the risk of PG was positively associated with maladaptive personality traits, particularly Antisocial, Narcissistic, and Borderline traits, and negatively associated with metacognitive abilities and personality functioning levels. Serial mediation analyses demonstrated that metacognitive functions, especially Critical Distance and Self-Reflexivity, along with personality functioning levels, mediated the relationship between maladaptive personality traits and PG risk. Notably, in individuals with pronounced Cluster B traits, metacognition alone served as the primary mediator, while in those with Cluster C traits, the mediation effect involved both metacognitive abilities and personality functioning levels, indicating a dual mediation pathway. These findings highlight distinct mechanisms across personality profiles.

The results underscore the critical role of metacognition and personality functioning in linking maladaptive personality traits to the risk of PG. Clinically, these findings suggest that interventions enhancing specific metacognitive abilities, such as perspective-taking and self-reflection, along with addressing impairments in personality functioning, could mitigate the risk of problematic gambling. These insights contribute to the development of tailored therapeutic strategies for preventing and managing gambling-related behaviors in at-risk populations.