Self-perceptions of dispositional luck: relationship to DSM gambling symptoms, subjective enjoyment of gambling and treatment readiness.

Full Abstract

In the present study, we examined whether having a gambling disorder is related to:
(a) the personality trait of perceived personal luck and (b) subjective enjoyment associated with placing bets. We also examined whether the presence or absence of disordered gambling and wagering enjoyment are related to probability of treatment entry. In 2001, we surveyed 82 young adults at the University of Windsor who gambled, but were not in treatment. They completed measures assessing symptoms of pathological gambling (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994), dispositional luck (Steenbergh, Meyers, May, and Whelan, 2002), enjoyment of gambling (Ben-Tovim, Esterman, Tolchard, and Battersby, 2001), and attitudes toward treatment (adapted from Fisher and Turner, 1970). Results showed elevated perceptions of personal luck, enjoyment of gambling, and more negative attitudes toward seeking treatment among those who exhibited sub-clinical levels of disordered gambling (n = 41) compared to recreational gamblers (n = 41). Other results showed that, after controlling for the effects of personal luck, the strength of the positive relationship between level of disordered gambling and subjective pleasure of wagering was diminished. Removing the effects of personal luck also weakened the positive association between having a gambling problem and having a negative attitude toward seeking treatment. In light of these results, we suggest cognitive interventions that seek to prevent and treat problematic wagering in early stage gamblers might be efficacious to the extent to which they can modify these young people's belief that they are charmed by high levels of dispositional luck.

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Author information

Author/s: Wohl, Michael J A (MJ); Young, Matthew M (MM); Hart, Kenneth E (KE);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. michael_wohl(-atsign-)carleton.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Substance use & misuse (Subst Use Misuse), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-; vol 42 (issue 1) : pp 43-63

Dates: Created 2007/03/16; Completed 2007/04/20;

PMID: 17366125, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Attitude
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Female
Gambling - psychology
Humans

Impulse Control Disorders - epidemiology; psychology; therapy
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Prevalence
Probability
Psychotherapy
Questionnaires
Self Concept

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