Lifetime Histories of Trauma among Pathological Gamblers
Abstract
This study extends the work completed with pathological gamblers and substance abusers, looking at associations between a history of trauma and comorbid substance dependence, impulsivity, measures of problem severity, and personality variables. We studied 111 patients admitted to the gambling treatment program at the Brecksville VA Medical Center and found that 64% of gamblers reported a history of emotional trauma; 40.5%, physical trauma; and 24.3%, sexual trauma. Most of this trauma occurred in childhood. A history of trauma was associated with a greater relative frequency of suicide attempts and drug and alcohol dependence, more severe scores in measures of psychiatric distress, and limited effects on personality functioning.
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Anxiety disorders often precede the onset of gambling disorder or substance use disorders.
“Anxiety disorders, however, often precede the onset of gambling disorder or substance use disorders (Blanco et al., 2015; Kausch, Rugle, & Rowland, 2006; Kessler et al., 2008).”
From Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior (2019) · cites this paper as Kausch, Rugle, & Rowland, 2006
In a study examining lifetime trauma history amongst pathological gamblers, 64% reported emotional trauma, 40.5% physical trauma, and 24.3% sexual trauma, with the majority occurring in childhood and a history of trauma being associated with greater frequency of drug and alcohol dependence.
“In a study examining lifetime trauma history amongst pathological gamblers found that 64% of gamblers reported a history of emotional trauma, 40.5%, physical trauma, and 24.3%, sexual trauma, with the majority of these traumatic events occurring in childhood and a history of trauma being associated with greater frequency of drug and alcohol dependence (Kausch et al., 2006).”
From Cued for Risk: Evidence for an Incentive Sensitization Framework to Explain the Interplay between Stress and Anxiety, Substance Abuse, and Reward Uncertainty in Disordered Gambling Behavior (2019) · cites this paper as Kausch et al., 2006
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“…that 64% of gamblers reported a history of emotional trauma, 40.5%, physical trauma, and 24.3%, sexual trauma, with the majority of these traumatic events occurring in childhood and a history of trauma being associated with greater frequency of drug and alcohol dependence (Kausch et al., 2006).”
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- Authors
- Kausch, O., Rugle, L., & Rowland, D. Y.
- Affiliations
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs (US)
- Syneos Health (Germany) (DE)
- Case Western Reserve University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kausch, Otto
- ORCID
- Rowland, Douglas Y.
- Venue
- The American Journal on Addictions
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-01-02
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 35-43
- ISSN
- 1055-0496 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-0391
- OpenAlex
- W2124767224
- Cited by
- 134
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 5.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal on Addictions (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Keywords
- gambling addiction, childhood trauma, psychological trauma, physical trauma, sexual trauma, impulsivity, suicide attempts, psychiatric distress, personality functioning
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Alcoholism, Child, Child Abuse, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Gambling, Hospitals, Veterans, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Inventory, Risk Factors, Statistics as Topic, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Suicide, Attempted, Veterans, Comorbidity, Substance-Related Disorders
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