Decisional styles and risk of problem drinking or gambling

We considered whether addictive behaviours have a common decisional style. At risk populations completed questionnaires assessing decisional style, alcohol use and gambling. Problem drinkers were avoidant. Problem gamblers were impulsive. Addicted individuals frequent multiple providers. Addictive b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Personality and individual differences 2011-09, Vol.51 (4), p.521-526
Main Authors: PHILLIPS, J. G, OGEIL, R. P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Addictive behaviors
Addictive behaviour
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Alcohol related problems
Alcoholism
At risk
Biological and medical sciences
Gambling
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Pathological gambling
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Vigilance
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Summary:We considered whether addictive behaviours have a common decisional style. At risk populations completed questionnaires assessing decisional style, alcohol use and gambling. Problem drinkers were avoidant. Problem gamblers were impulsive. Addicted individuals frequent multiple providers. Addictive behaviours indicate a deficit in self regulation, with a general predisposition towards addiction implied by comorbid addictive behaviours. To determine whether common or differing decisional styles were associated with alcohol and gambling problems university students (n =462) completed online the Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the South Oaks Gambling Screen to assess their alcohol use, and gambling patterns. There was some comorbidity between those at risk for alcohol and gambling-related problems, with both groups frequenting more gaming venues, however, participants at risk for alcohol related problems differed in their decisional styles from those at risk for gambling problems. A greater risk of alcohol related problems was linked to lower vigilance scores and increased tendencies towards procrastination. A higher risk of gambling problems was associated with lower decisional self-esteem and an increased proneness to hypervigilance or panic. Therefore, while a predisposition towards addiction manifests as a preference for addictive behaviour, it is associated with different decisional styles. Problem drinkers are more likely to have an avoidant decisional style, while problem gamblers are not confident in their ability to make decisions, and their decisions feel pressured. [Copyright Elsevier Ltd.]
ISSN:0191-8869
1873-3549
DOI:10.1016/j.paid.2011.05.012