Decision-making, cognitive distortions and alcohol use in adolescent problem and non-problem gamblers: an experimental study

Ciccarelli, M, Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, Nigro, G and Cosenza, M, 2016. Decision-making, cognitive distortions and alcohol use in adolescent problem and non-problem gamblers: an experimental study. Journal of Gambling Studies, 32 (4), pp. 1203-1213. ISSN 1573-3602

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Abstract

In the psychological literature, many studies have investigated the neuropsychological and behavioral changes that occur developmentally during adolescence. These studies have consistently observed a deficit in the decision-making ability of children and adolescents. This deficit has been ascribed to incomplete brain development. The same deficit has also been observed in adult problem and pathological gamblers. However, to date, no study has examined decision-making in adolescents with and without gambling problems. Furthermore, no study has ever examined associations between problem gambling, decision-making, cognitive distortions and alcohol use in youth. To address these issues, 104 male adolescents participated in this study. They were equally divided in two groups, problem gamblers and non-problem gamblers, based on South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents scores. All participants performed the Iowa Gambling Task and completed the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Adolescent problem gamblers displayed impaired decision-making, reported high cognitive distortions, and had more problematic alcohol use compared to non-problem gamblers. Strong correlations between problem gambling, alcohol use, and cognitive distortions were observed. Decision-making correlated with interpretative bias. This study demonstrated that adolescent problem gamblers appear to have the same psychological profile as adult problem gamblers and that gambling involvement can negatively impact on decision-making ability that, in adolescence, is still developing. The correlations between interpretative bias and decision-making suggested that the beliefs in the ability to influence gambling outcomes may facilitate decision-making impairment.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Gambling Studies
Creators:	Ciccarelli, M., Griffiths, M.D., Nigro, G. and Cosenza, M.
Publisher:	Springer
Date:	December 2016
Volume:	32
Number:	4
ISSN:	1573-3602
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s10899-016-9597-7 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jill Tomkinson
Date Added:	05 Apr 2016 10:00
Last Modified:	18 Oct 2017 15:00
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27334

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