TY - JOUR
T1 - Problem Gambling and Family Violence
T2 - Factors Associated With Family Violence Victimization and Perpetration in Treatment-Seeking Gamblers
AU - Dowling, Nicki A.
AU - Oldenhof, Erin
AU - Cockman, Sue
AU - Suomi, Aino
AU - Merkouris, Stephanie S.
AU - Jackson, Alun C.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Although problem gambling and family violence are related, there is little available research exploring the factors associated with this relationship. The primary aim was to predict family violence (victimization and perpetration) in a sample of treatment-seeking gamblers by gambling indices (gambling symptom severity, gambling time spent, gambling frequency, gambling expenditure), psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, gambling coping motives, alcohol and drug use, gambling-related legal consequences, work and social adjustment, impulsivity, and gender. A secondary aim was to explore the degree to which these factors moderate the relationship between gambling symptom severity and family violence. Participants (n = 141) were consecutively recruited gamblers presenting to a gambling counseling service. The prevalence of family violence was 25.5%, with 18.4% reporting victimization and 19.1% reporting perpetration. Intimate partners and parents were most likely to be both perpetrators and victims of family violence. Victimization was significantly predicted by psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, and gambling-related legal consequences, while perpetration was significantly predicted by gambling symptom severity, gambling-related legal consequences, and impulsivity. The association between gambling symptom severity and victimization was significant only for gamblers with low levels of gambling coping motives and moderate or high levels of alcohol use. These findings provide further support for routine screening in problem gambling and family violence services, particularly those who report gambling-related legal consequences; highlight the need for prevention and intervention programs to lower the co-occurrence of these behaviors; and suggest that reducing psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, alcohol use, and impulsivity may be important in these efforts.
AB - Although problem gambling and family violence are related, there is little available research exploring the factors associated with this relationship. The primary aim was to predict family violence (victimization and perpetration) in a sample of treatment-seeking gamblers by gambling indices (gambling symptom severity, gambling time spent, gambling frequency, gambling expenditure), psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, gambling coping motives, alcohol and drug use, gambling-related legal consequences, work and social adjustment, impulsivity, and gender. A secondary aim was to explore the degree to which these factors moderate the relationship between gambling symptom severity and family violence. Participants (n = 141) were consecutively recruited gamblers presenting to a gambling counseling service. The prevalence of family violence was 25.5%, with 18.4% reporting victimization and 19.1% reporting perpetration. Intimate partners and parents were most likely to be both perpetrators and victims of family violence. Victimization was significantly predicted by psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, and gambling-related legal consequences, while perpetration was significantly predicted by gambling symptom severity, gambling-related legal consequences, and impulsivity. The association between gambling symptom severity and victimization was significant only for gamblers with low levels of gambling coping motives and moderate or high levels of alcohol use. These findings provide further support for routine screening in problem gambling and family violence services, particularly those who report gambling-related legal consequences; highlight the need for prevention and intervention programs to lower the co-occurrence of these behaviors; and suggest that reducing psychological distress, symptoms of PTSD, alcohol use, and impulsivity may be important in these efforts.
KW - alcohol
KW - family violence
KW - impulsivity
KW - perpetration
KW - problem gambling
KW - psychological distress
KW - victimization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063327500&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0886260519835877
DO - 10.1177/0886260519835877
M3 - Article
SN - 0886-2605
VL - 36
SP - 7645
EP - 7669
JO - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
JF - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
IS - 15-16
ER -