Financially Focused Self-Concept is Associated with Etiological and Maintenance Factors of Gambling Disorder Among Non-Problem Gamblers

Abstract

We examined associations between financially focused self-concept and known etiological and maintenance factors of problematic gambling in a sample of community-based gamblers (N = 412). Although most participants (95.6%) did not report gambling problems, those high in financial focus were more likely to be impulsive, to be dissatisfied with their financial situation, to believe that they have a poor ability to cope with adversity in their life, and to have erroneous beliefs about gambling. The magnitude of these associations was moderate. The etiological risk and maintenance factors explained unique variance in financially focused self-concept. Thus, the results provide novel insight into the characteristics of financially focused gamblers.RésuméNous avons examiné les associations entre le concept de soi d’un point de vue financier et les facteurs étiologiques et de maintien connus du jeu problématique dans un échantillon de joueurs communautaires (N = 412). Bien que la plupart des participants (95,6%) n’aient pas déclaré avoir de problèmes de jeu, ceux qui accordaient beaucoup d’importance à l’aspect financier étaient plus susceptibles d’être impulsifs, insatisfaits de leur situation financière, croyaient avoir une faible capacité à affronter l’adversité dans leur vie et avaient des croyances erronées sur les jeux d’argent. L’importance de ces associations était modérée. Les facteurs étiologiques de risque et de maintien ont expliqué la seule variance du concept de soi d’un point de vue financier. Ainsi, les résultats fournissent un nouvel aperçu des caractéristiques des joueurs ayant une image axée sur les finances.

Perfectionism predicts disordered eating and gambling via focused self-concept among those high in erroneous beliefs about their disordered behavior

“…Although perfectionism has been variably defined and measured (for a review, see Dunkley, Blankstein, Masheb, & Grilo, 2006), we, like others (Howell, Anderson, Egan, & McEvoy, 2020;Smith & Saklofske, 2017;Tabri, Wohl, Wood, & Philander, 2018), have argued and found that perfectionism is best understood as a single factor that reflects a striving for flawlessness coupled with critical selfevaluation and concern for how others evaluate the self. Critically, people with such perfectionism are more vulnerable to various forms of psychopathology and disordered behaviors, including eating, anxiety, mood, and personality disorders as well as suicidal ideation (Egan, Wade, & Shafran, 2011;Flett, Hewitt, & Heisel, 2014;Limburg, Watson, Hagger, & Egan, 2017).…”

Financially focused self-concept: Measurement invariance, stability, and concurrent validity

“…Measurement invariance, stability, and concurrent validity Some individuals overvalue the importance of their financial success for self-definition and self-worth (Tabri, Wohl, Eddy, & Thomas, 2017). A growing body of research indicates having a financially focused self-concept has predictive utility to identify players at risk of developing gambling problems (Tabri, Hollingshead, & Wohl, 2019;Tabri, Salmon, & Wohl, in press;Tabri, Shead, & Wohl, 2017;Tabri, Werner, Milyavkaya, & Wohl, 2018;Tabri, Wohl, Wood, & Philander, 2018;Tabri, Wood, Philander, & Wohl, in press;Wood, Wohl, Tabri, & Philander, 2017). For example, among community players, showed that greater financial focus was uniquely and moderately associated with disordered gambling severity above and beyond known risk factors for gambling, including personal income, Big-Five personality domains, global self-esteem, personal relative deprivation and materialism.…”