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Exploring the psychosocial characteristics of women with gambling disorder through a qualitative study

Introduction

Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that has been primarily male, but in the last few years, the age of onset has been equated between the sexes. The profile of female gamblers could be different from that of men. Consequently, this study analyzes the testimonies of women with gambling disorder to determine their specific characteristics (gambling motives, gambling preferences, and associated pathologies).

Method

The sample comprises 18 women with gambling disorder aged between 30 and 68. Three discussion groups were held, and a "blind" inductive process was carried out to extract categories. The Atlas.Ti 22.0 program was used to recode and analyze the data.

Results

Results show that women may start gambling due to abuse suffered in childhood, and often family members initiate women into gambling. Likewise, the onset of gambling could be a maladaptive way to manage negative emotions. Also highlighted is the predominance of feelings of social stigmatization, which can be reflected in women's choice of games where they are not visible. Comorbidity with other disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and the use of other substances are noteworthy.

Discussion

The factors explaining why female gamblers do not seek treatment compared to male gamblers are analyzed. More studies on women's experience with gambling are needed to address the specific characteristics of gambling disorder in women.

Emotional dependence as a predictor of emotional symptoms and substance abuse in individuals with gambling disorder: differential analysis by sex

INTRODUCTION

Emotional dependence, anxious-depressive symptoms and substance use have been associated with gambling disorder (GD). Although anxiety and depression have been predominantly related to female gamblers and substance abuse to male gamblers, the role of emotional dependence in GD is unknown. Moreover, sex differences remain underexplored.

OBJECTIVES

First, to explore possible differences in emotional dependence, anxious-depressive symptoms and substance abuse by group (GD and non-GD) and sex (women vs men). Second, to analyse the predictive role of emotional dependence in alcohol and drug abuse and anxious-depressive symptoms in patients with GD as a function of sex.

METHODS

Instruments to measure gambling (SOGS), emotional dependence (CDE), anxious-depressive symptoms (SCL-90-R) and substance abuse (MULTICAGE CAD-4) were administered to 108 people with GD diagnosis (60 women and 48 men) and 429 without GD (342 women and 87 men).

STUDY DESIGN

The research is an analytical cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

The results showed that the group with GD scored significantly higher than the non-GD group on alcohol abuse, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and emotional dependence, but not on drug abuse. In the group with GD, emotional dependence predicted alcohol and drug abuse in women, and emotional dependence predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms in men.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that women with GD who consume alcohol or drugs would benefit from therapies addressing loneliness, borderline expression, attention-seeking and affective expression. Men with GD who report anxious-depressive symptomatology would benefit from therapeutic strategies to deal with separation anxiety and attention-seeking.