Reconsidering the roots, structure, and implications of gambling motives: An integrative approach

Abstract

Accurately identifying motives is crucial in the functional analysis of gambling behavior. In this study, a data-driven approach was followed to clarify the factor structure underlying a pool of motives for gambling, selected from the Gambling Motives Questionnaire – Financial (GMQ-F), and the Reasons for Gambling Questionnaire (RGQ), in a sample of regular problem and non-problem gamblers. Additionally, the role of gambling motives in the relationship between root behavioral activation/inhibition systems (BIS/BAS) and gambling severity, frequency, and preferences was explored using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results show that motives variance was best explained by the existence of four factors: financial motives, social motives, affect regulation, and fun/thrill. Importantly, gambling to regulate affect was directly and independently associated with gambling severity. Only the fun/thrill factor was directly related to frequency of participation in high-arousal, skill-based games, whereas all factors were related to participation in lower-arousal, chance games (with social motives negatively predicting both participation in the latter and total severity). Finally, in the SEM model, measures of BIS/BAS sensitivity were connected to gambling behavior only through gambling motives. In summary, in contrast with previous, theory-driven factorizations, there seems to be no clear-cut separation between positive and negative reinforcement-driven motives, and an affect regulation factor emerged as the only one directly associated with the risk of gambling disorder. In accordance with this dual composition, the affect regulation motives factor appears to be fueled by both BIS and BAS. Based on mesures of items’ specificity, a shortened Spanish scale (the brief Gambling Motives Inventory, bGMI) is proposed to assess gambling motives in accordance with the observed 4-factor structure.

The role of gambling type on gambling motives, cognitive distortions, and gambling severity in gamblers recruited online

“…The results also showed that gambling type was significantly associated with specific coping motives, suggesting that mixed gambling and coping motives are closely linked. This result is not surprising, as previous studies have highlighted that gamblers who play to escape or reduce negative affect usually move to games of luck where no reflection is required [ 10 , 31 , 36 , 54 ]. Moreover, the association between coping motives and problematic gambling is one of the most solid results in gambling research.…”

“…On the one hand, the financial motive cannot be dissociated from this type of game, and on the other hand can lead to losses that can be fueled by cognitive distortions such as the illusion of control [ 15 ]. The recent integrative study of Barrada and colleagues [ 10 ], aiming to clarify the factor structure underlying a pool of motives for gambling from two widely used gambling motivation assessment tools (the Gambling Motives Questionnaire–Financial [GMQ-F], and the Reasons for Gambling Questionnaire [RGQ), also identified the first three factors (social, financial, fun-/thrill-related) and grouped positive and negative reinforcement as a fourth one (affect regulation factor).…”

“…Differences in the psychological and psychopathological profiles of gamblers with problematic gambling activity can be observed depending on the type of games played or the types of gambling modalities [ 30 – 32 ]. Games can currently be classified according to whether the rewards associated with the gambling activity are immediate or delayed [ 33 ], depending on the level of arousal provided by the game played [ 10 ], or according to the presence or absence skills [ 34 , 35 ]. Some means of classifying games overlap in the sense that skill games generally provide high arousal while chance games provide low arousal [ 10 , 19 ].…”

“…Games can currently be classified according to whether the rewards associated with the gambling activity are immediate or delayed [ 33 ], depending on the level of arousal provided by the game played [ 10 ], or according to the presence or absence skills [ 34 , 35 ]. Some means of classifying games overlap in the sense that skill games generally provide high arousal while chance games provide low arousal [ 10 , 19 ]. Gamblers using gambling to escape or avoid negative affect usually orient towards games of luck, whereas gamblers using gambling to upregulate positive emotions usually choose skill games that provide sensations, excitement, and arousal [ 30 , 36 ].…”

“…Gamblers using gambling to escape or avoid negative affect usually orient towards games of luck, whereas gamblers using gambling to upregulate positive emotions usually choose skill games that provide sensations, excitement, and arousal [ 30 , 36 ]. Thus, gambling motives, such as gambling for experience enhancement or as a way of coping (two sides of affect regulation), seem to depend on gambling type [ 10 ]. This difference in motivation can subsequently lead to differences in cognitive distortions (in terms of nature and/or intensity) and gambling severity.…”