A 2-item questionnaire was derived from 10 DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling. Subjects were 362 men, 191 classified as pathological gamblers and 171 as nonproblem-gambling controls. The two items were significant in sensitivity and negative predictive value and significant in specificity and positive predictive value.

This study follows up one in which was derived a two-item screening questionnaire for pathological gambling. In the previous study, the two-item screening questionnaire had sensitivity of .99 and specificity of .91. In this study, testing 295 men (116 pathological gamblers and 179 controls) and 128 women (30 pathological gamblers and 98 controls), sensitivity was 1.00 and specificity .85. In the previous study, the predictive value of a positive result was .92 and of a negative result .99. In this sample, the predictive value of a positive result was .78 and of a negative result 1.00. These results indicate the two questions represent a useful screening device for a DSM-IV diagnosis of pathological gambling.

A 2-item questionnaire was derived from 10 DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling. Subjects were 362 men, 191 classified as pathological gamblers and 171 as nonproblem-gambling controls. The two items were significant in sensitivity and negative predictive value and significant in specificity and positive predictive value.

No abstract

No abstract