Relations of Five-Factor Personality Domains to Gambling Motives in Emerging Adult Gamblers: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

At least three types of gambling motives have been proposed: coping motives (gambling to reduce negative affect), enhancement motives (gambling to enhance positive affect), and social motives (gambling to increase social affiliation). Few studies have examined the underlying personality traits that give rise to these different motivations. The present study tests the longitudinal link between changes in five-factor model personality domains and gambling motives among emerging adults. A sample of 679 emerging adults (M age = 18.90 years; 51.8% female) was recruited as part of the Manitoba Longitudinal Study of Young Adults (MLSYA). Participants completed self-report questionnaires across four measurement occasions, with each measurement 12-18 months apart. The NEO Five Factor Inventory was administered at waves 1 and 3, and the Gambling Motives Questionnaire was administered at wave 4. Data were analyzed using longitudinal structural equation modeling. Emerging adults who experienced increases in neuroticism had higher coping motives at a subsequent wave. Those who experienced increases in extraversion had higher enhancement and social motives. Those who experienced increases in agreeableness had lower social and coping motives. Changes in conscientiousness and openness were unrelated to any of the motives after controlling for all other variables. Extraversion and agreeableness predicting social motives were the most robust findings. A multigroup analysis showed the measurement and structural models did not differ by sex. Longitudinal changes in five-factor model personality domains were linked to specific motives for gambling in a theoretically-expected fashion. Results have implications for personality-targeted interventions for problem gamblers.

The Personality Context of Adolescent Gambling: Better Explained by the Big Five or Sensation-Seeking?

“…The three motives are defined as "Coping", which is related to relieving negative affect, "Enhancement", which is related to strengthening positive affect, and "Social", which is related to strengthening social connections. extraversion was associated with enhancement and social motives and agreeableness was related to social and coping motives in young adults (Mackinnon, Lambe, & Stewart, 2016). Despite these connections in young adult and older samples, no work to date has investigated how gambling motives may fit into the landscape of personality, sensation-seeking, and gambling problems in adolescents.…”

Associations between the HEXACO model of personality and gambling involvement, motivations to gamble, and gambling severity in young adult gamblers

“…In addition, MacLaren, Ellery, and Knoll ( 2015 ) reported that the relationship between aspects of conscientiousness (i.e., low industriousness) and gambling severity was mediated through coping motives. In the most comprehensive test, Mackinnon, Lambe, and Stewart ( 2016 ) investigated relationships between FFM traits and gambling motives using a longitudinal data set of young adult gamblers. Their analyses revealed positive associations between extraversion scores and both enhancement and social motives; whereas, low agreeableness was linked to lower social and coping scores.…”

“…Most research on personality and gambling has focused on FFM characteristics in gambling severity (e.g., Bagby et al., 2007 ; Brunborg et al., 2016 ; MacLaren et al., 2011 ). Moreover, only one study (i.e., Mackinnon et al., 2016 ) explored associations between FFM traits and GMQ motives. Research on the utility of HEXACO in addiction is limited.…”