Cited by 67Gambling Behavior and TreatmentsDecision-Making and Behavioral EconomicsSubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Discounting of probabilistic rewards is associated with gambling abstinence in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers

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Petry, Nancy M.·2012·Journal of Abnormal Psychology

Abstract

Individuals with addictive disorders, including substance abusers and pathological gamblers, discount or devalue rewards delayed in time more than controls. Theoretically, preference for probabilistic rewards is directly related to gambling, but limited empirical research has examined probabilistic discounting in individuals with pathological gambling. This study evaluated probability and delay discounting in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers and their association with gambling treatment outcomes during and after treatment. At time of treatment entry, 226 pathological gamblers completed probability and delay discounting tasks. They were then randomized to one of three treatment conditions, and gambling behavior was measured throughout treatment and at a 1-year follow-up assessment. After controlling for possibly confounding variables and treatment condition, more shallow probability discounting was associated with greater reductions in amounts wagered during treatment and likelihood of gambling abstinence at the end of treatment and throughout the follow-up period. No associations were noted between delay discounting and gambling treatment outcomes. These data suggest that probability discounting may be an important construct in understanding pathological gambling and its treatment.

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  • With the exception of one study, females were more likely to have positive post-treatment outcomes.

    “With the exception of one study (Petry, 2012), the results indicate that females were more likely to have positive post-treatment outcomes.”
  • In the systematic review, probability discounting was examined as a predictor of medium-term outcomes in one study (Petry, 2012), and the table reports 100% of significant results.

    “| Probability discounting | Petry (2012) | | x | - | 1 | 100% |”
  • Studies on adults have revealed a link between risky performance in gambling tasks and clinically relevant risky behaviors.

    “However, studies on adults have revealed a link between risky performance in gambling tasks and clinically relevant risky behaviors, e.g. between the performance in the IGT and substance use disorders, pathological gambling and psychopathic behavior [70], between performance in the PD and pathological gambling as well as alcohol dependence [71], [72], and between performance on the BART and self-”

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Authors
Petry, N. M.
Affiliations
University of Connecticut (US)
Corresponding author
Petry, Nancy M.
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Published
2012-02
Volume
121
Issue
1
Pages
151-159
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
OpenAlex
W2012310111
Cited by
67
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
FWCI
7.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (P30-DA023918; R01-MH60417; R01- DA14618; R01-DA13444; R01-DA018883; R01-DA016855; R01- DA021567; R01-DA022739; R01-DA027615; P60-AA03510; P50- DA09241)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › General Decision Sciences › Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
gambling addiction, probability discounting, delay discounting, treatment-seeking gamblers, addiction, impulsivity
MeSH terms
Adult, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Gambling, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Male, Middle Aged, Probability, Psychotherapy, Group, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reward, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Odds Ratio

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