Attitudes, beliefs and impulsivity in online gambling addiction

Abstract

Gambling research often refers to attitude and belief measurements to distinguish between problem and non-problem gamblers. Past studies also indicated that problem gamblers have a tendency to steeply discount rewards. We join both research streams and investigate the relationships between attitudes and beliefs on gambling addiction with the moderating effects of delay discounting using a novel methodological approach of double-hurdle model. We hereby differentiate the five subdimensions of the Gambling Attitude and Belief Scale (GABS): emotions, chasing, luck, attitudes and strategies. Findings show that emotional predispositions and chasing tendencies are positively related to the severity of online gambling addiction, independent of gamblers´ impulsivity. In contrast hereto, gambling attitudes act as inhibitor for gamblers willing to wait for some time to receive higher reward. Findings show that money-related impulsiveness influences the relationship between subdimensions of GABS and gambling addiction: Gambling attitudes and beliefs do not necessarily harm online gamblers but that their positive or negative relationship to addiction depends on online gamblers' impulsivity.

Moderating Effect of Impulsivity on the Association Between Entrapment and Problem Gambling

“…Our study used delay discounting measure of impulsivity which is yet to receive robust attention in Sub-Saharan Africa. Similar result has been previously reported (Trivedi & Teichert, 2018;Amlung et al, 2017). Thus, our report supports the position that impulsivity boosts the incidence of problem gambling and other problematic behavior (Haw, 2017;Yan et al, 2016;Sharma et al, 2014).…”

“…Thus, the association between entrapment and problem gambling was dependent on the gambler's level of impulsiveness (or otherwise) during Soccer gambling. This result is similar to past research (Trivedi & Teichert 2018) finding that impulsivity moderates the relationship between entrapment and gambling behaviour.…”

“…The present data have implication for prevention and intervention for problem gambling for clinical, at-risk and student population. The data encourage the development and promotion of impulse control skills and techniques such as delaying of immediate gratifications for future benefits (Sharma et al, 2014), forethought decisions (Trivedi & Teichert, 2018;Amlung et al, 2017), and ability to identify and forego risk-laden moments such as gambling (Anokhin et al, 2011). Therefore, inclusion of delay discounting and entrapment measures as problem gambling diagnostic tools during in-take and evaluation phases of problem gambling therapy could boost diagnostic successes, especially among polytechnic students who could be faced with financial pressures on campus.…”

“…Impulsivity provides a robust moderation influence on pathological gambling behaviour (Alessi & Petry, 2003). In the last decade, studies (Trivedi & Teichert, 2018;Amlung et al, 2017;Anokhin et al, 2011) have begun to employ delay discounting as a measure of impulsive decisions. Delay discounting is measured by a choice between a relatively smaller reward received instantly and a relatively larger reward in the distant future (Anokhin et al, 2011).…”

Problematic Online Behaviors Among Gamers: the Links Between Problematic Gaming, Gambling, Shopping, Pornography Use, and Social Networking

“…Additionally, Marmet et al (2019) demonstrated how gambling, online sex, smartphone use, gaming, and Internet use explain a relatively high variance in social anxiety disorder, major depression, ADHD, and borderline personality disorder, likely highlighting shared commonalities between these constructs. In terms of individual differences, higher levels of neuroticism and/or impulsivity have been linked to online gambling (Trivedi and Teichert, 2018), pornography viewing (Wéry et al, 2018), online shopping (Lee, 2018), and social networking use (Marengo et al, 2020). For an overview on neuroscientific findings in this area, please see the review studies by Becker and Montag (2019), Wegmann et al (2018), andKuss et al (2018).…”