Alexithymia predicts loss chasing for people at risk for problem gambling

Abstract

Background and aimsThe aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and loss-chasing behavior in people at risk and not at risk for problem gambling.MethodsAn opportunity sample of 58 (50 males and 8 females) participants completed the Problem Gambling Severity Index and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They then completed the Cambridge Gambling Task from which a measure of loss-chasing behavior was derived.ResultsAlexithymia and problem gambling risk were significantly positively correlated. Subgroups of non-alexithymic and at or near caseness for alexithymia by low risk and at risk for problem gambling were identified. The results show a clear difference for loss-chasing behavior for the two alexithymia conditions, but there was no evidence that low and at-risk problem gamblers were more likely to loss chase. The emotion-processing components of the TAS-20 were shown to correlate with loss chasing.Discussion and conclusionThese findings suggest that loss-chasing behavior may be particularly prevalent in a subgroup of problem gamblers those who are high in alexithymia.

Gambling Problems and Alexithymia: A Systematic Review

“…Gambling problems were assessed mostly with South Oaks Gambling Screen [20,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37], which is the most used instrument in research literature. In four studies the Canadian Problem Gambling Index [21,38], the Problem Gambling Severity Index [39] or the Kurzfragebogen zum Glücksspielverhalten [29] were used, some of which by adding DSM criteria for gambling disorder.…”

“…Bibby and Ross [39] provided evidence for understanding a specific aspect of problem gambling, the loss chasing behavior, namely the tendency to continue to bet in an attempt to recover an earlier loss. They found that bettors at risk of problem gambling and high in alexithymia were most likely to chase losses.…”

“…Similarly, significant differences in EOT were found between pathological gamblers and controls only in few studies [27,32,36]. In relation to loss chasing behavior, DIF was related to both between- and within-session loss chasing, while EOT and DDF were exclusively associated with one type of loss chasing behavior, between-session or within-session, respectively [39].…”

“…Of interest, our review showed that strategic gamblers who prefer games involving active playing strategies (i.e., poker) may be inclined to play in order to increase emotional arousal and bodily sensations [26]. Conversely, the underlying motivation for choosing of non-strategic games in alexithymic individuals would be driven by the need to use passive strategies (i.e., chance, slot machines) to cope with negative emotions experienced as a consequences of gambling losses [27,39,52].…”

Gambling and Social Cognition: a Systematic Review

“…Alexithymia Alexithymia is a personality trait describing the tendency to have difficulties in processing emotions [71,72]. It is not a social cognitive function per se, but its level seems to impact the social functioning of the individuals, as well as their ability to identify emotional facial expressions [62].…”