Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-03-2010 | Original Paper

Cue Reactivity in Active Pathological, Abstinent Pathological, and Regular Gamblers

Authors: Ruthlyn Sodano, Edelgard Wulfert

Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies | Issue 1/2010

Abstract

Twenty-one treatment-seeking pathological gamblers, 21 pathological gamblers in recovery, and 21 recreational gamblers watched two video-taped exciting gambling scenarios and an exciting roller-coaster control scenario while their arousal (heart rate and subjective excitement) and urge to gamble were being measured. The gamblers did not differ significantly in cue-elicited heart rate elevations or excitement. However, the active pathological gamblers reported significantly greater urges to gamble across all cues compared to the abstinent pathological gamblers and, with marginal significance (p = 0.06), also compared to the social gamblers. Further exploration of these findings revealed that active pathological gamblers experience urges to gamble in response to exciting situations, whether or not they are gambling related, whereas abstinent and social gamblers only report urges to an exciting gambling-related cue. This suggests that for pathological gamblers excitement itself, irrespective of its source, may become a conditioned stimulus capable of triggering gambling behavior. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed.

Available only for authorised users

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed. Text Revision). Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.

Anderson, G., & Brown, R. I. (1984). Real and laboratory gambling, sensation-seeking and arousal. British Journal of Psychology, 75(Pt 3), 401–410.PubMed

Anton, R. F., Moak, D. H., & Latham, P. K. (1996). The obsessive compulsive drinking scale: A new method of assessing outcome in alcoholism treatment studies. Archives of General Psychiatry, 53(3), 225–231.PubMed

Blanchard, E. B., Wulfert, E., Freidenberg, B. M., & Malta, L. S. (2000). Psychophysiological assessment of compulsive gamblers’ arousal to gambling cues: A pilot study. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 25(3), 155–165.CrossRefPubMed

Blaszczynski, A., McConaghy, N., & Frankova, A. (1991). A comparison of relapsed and non-relapsed abstinent pathological gamblers following behavioural treatment. British Journal of Addiction, 86(11), 1485–1489.CrossRefPubMed

Bouton, M. E. (2004). Context and behavioral processes in extinction. Learning and Memory, 11, 485–494.CrossRefPubMed

Bouton, M. E., Woods, A. M., Moody, E. W., Sunsay, C., & García-Gutiérrez, A. (2006). Counteracting the context-dependence of extinction: Relapse and tests of some relapse prevention methods. In M. G. Craske, D. Hermans, & D. Vansteenwegen (Eds.), Fear and learning: From basic processes to clinical implications (pp. 175–196). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.CrossRef

Brandon, T. H., Piasecki, T. M., Quinn, E. P., & Baker, T. B. (1995). Cue exposure treatment in nicotine dependence. In D. C. Drummond, S. Tiffany, S. Glautier, & B. Remington (Eds.), Addictive behavior: Cue exposure theory and practice (pp. 211–227). Chichester: Wiley.

Carter, B. L., & Tiffany, S. T. (1999). Meta-analysis of cue-reactivity in addiction research. Addiction, 94(3), 327–340.CrossRefPubMed

Childress, A. R., McLellan, A. T., & O’Brien, C. P. (1986). Role of conditioning factors in the development of drug dependence. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 9, 413–425.PubMed

Coventry, K. R., & Norman, A. C. (1997). Arousal, sensation seeking and frequency of gambling in off-course horse racing bettors. British Journal of Psychology, 88(Pt 4), 671–681.PubMed

Daughters, S. B., Lejuez, C. W., Strong, D. R., Brown, R. A., Breen, R. B., & Lesieur, H. R. (2005). The relationship among negative affect, distress tolerance, and length of gambling abstinence attempt. Journal of Gambling Studies, 21(4), 363–378.CrossRefPubMed

Dawe, S., & Powell, J. (1995). Cue exposure treatment in opiate and cocaine dependence. In D. C. Drummond, S. Tiffany, S. Glautier, & B. Remington (Eds.), Addictive behaviour: Cue exposure theory and practice (pp. 197–209). Chichester: Wiley.

Dickerson, M., & Adcock, S. (1987). Mood, arousal, and cognitions in persistent gambling: Preliminary investigation of a theoretical model. Journal of Gambling Behavior, 3(1), 3–15.CrossRef

Drummond, S., Tiffany, S. T., Glautier, S., & Remington, B. (1995). Cue exposure in understanding and treating addictive behaviors. In D. C. Drummond, S. Tiffany, S. Glautier, & B. Remington (Eds.), Addictive behaviors: Cue exposure theory and practice (pp. 1–17). Chichester: Wiley.

Ethofer, T., Pourtois, G., & Wildgruber, D. (2006). Investigating audiovisual integration of emotional signals in the human brain. Progress in Brain Research, 156, 345–361.CrossRefPubMed

Gingras, G., Rowland, B. A., & Stein, B. E. (2009). The differing impact of multisensory and unisensory integration on behavior. The Journal of Neuroscience, 29(15), 4897–4902.CrossRefPubMed

Hodgins, D. C., Peden, N., & Cassidy, E. (2005). The association between comorbidity and outcome in pathological gambling: A prospective follow-up of recent quitters. Journal of Gambling Studies, 21(3), 255–271.CrossRefPubMed

Kuntze, M. F., Stoermer, R., Mager, R., Roessler, A., Mueller-Spahn, F., & Bullinger, A. H. (2001). Immersive virtual environments in cue exposure. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 4(4), 497–501.CrossRefPubMed

Ladouceur, R., Sevigny, S., Blaszczynski, A., O’Connor, K., & Lavoie, M. E. (2003). Video lottery: Winning expectancies and arousal. Addiction, 98(6), 733–738.CrossRefPubMed

Leary, K., & Dickerson, M. (1985). Levels of arousal in high- and low-frequency gamblers. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23(6), 635–640.CrossRefPubMed

Lee, J. H., Ku, J., Kim, K., Kim, B., Kim, I. Y., Yang, B. H., et al. (2003). Experimental application of virtual reality for nicotine craving through cue exposure. Cyberpsychology and Behavior, 6(3), 275–280.CrossRefPubMed

McLellan, A. T., Kushner, H., Metzger, D., Peters, R., Smith, L., Grissom, G., et al. (1992). The fifth edition of the addiction severity index: Historical critique and normative data. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 9, 199–213.CrossRefPubMed

Miller, J. O. (1986). Time course of coactivation in bimodal divided attention. Perception and Psychophysics, 40, 331–343.PubMed

Moodie, C., & Finnigan, F. (2005). A comparison of the autonomic arousal of frequent, infrequent and non-gamblers while playing fruit machines. Addiction, 100(1), 51–59.CrossRefPubMed

National Opinion Research Center (1999). Report to the national gambling impact study commission: Gambling impact and behavior study.

O’Brien, C. P., Childress, A. R., McLellan, T., & Ehrman, R. (1990). Integrating systemic cue exposure with standard treatment in recovering drug dependent patients. Addictive Behaviors, 15(4), 355–365.CrossRefPubMed

Petry, N. M. (2003). Patterns and correlates of gamblers anonymous attendance in pathological gamblers seeking professional treatment. Addictive Behaviors, 28(6), 1049–1062.CrossRefPubMed

Robbins, S. J., Ehrman, R. N., Childress, A. R., Cornish, J. W., & O’Brien, C. P. (2000). Mood state and recent cocaine use are not associated with levels of cocaine cue reactivity. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 59(1), 33–42.CrossRefPubMed

Rohsenow, D. J., Monti, P. M., & Abrams, D. B. (1995). Cue exposure treatment in alcohol dependence. In D. C. Drummond, S. Tiffany, S. Glautier, & B. Remington (Eds.), Addictive behavior: Cue exposure theory and practice (pp. 169–196). Chichester: Wiley.

Rohsenow, D. J., Niaura, R. S., Childress, A. R., Abrams, D. B., & Monti, P. M. (1990). Cue reactivity in addictive behaviors: Theoretical and treatment implications. The International Journal of the Addictions, 25(7A–8A), 957–993.PubMed

Schroger, E., & Widmann, A. (1998). Speeded responses to audiovisual signal changes result from bimodal integration. Psychophysiology, 35(6), 755–759.CrossRefPubMed

Sharpe, L. (2004). Patterns of autonomic arousal in imaginal situations of winning and losing in problem gambling. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20(1), 95–104.CrossRefPubMed

Sharpe, L., Tarrier, N., Schotte, D., & Spence, S. H. (1995). The role of autonomic arousal in problem gambling. Addiction, 90(11), 1529–1540.CrossRefPubMed

Siegel, S. (1979). The role of conditioning in drug tolerance and addiction. In J. D. Keehn (Ed.), Psychopathy in animals: Research and treatment implications (pp. 143–168). New York: Academic Press.

Stewart, J., deWit, H., & Eikelboom, R. (1984). The role of unconditioned and conditioned drug effects in the self-administration of opiates and stimulants. Psychological Review, 91, 51–268.CrossRef

Wikler, A. (1965). Conditioning factors in opiate addiction and relapse. In D. I. Wilner & G. G. Kassenbaum (Eds.), Narcotics (pp. 85–100). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Wikler, A. (1973). Dynamics of drug dependence. Archives of General Psychiatry, 28, 611–616.PubMed

Wulfert, E., Franco, C., Roland, B., & Hartley, J. (2008). The role of money in the excitement of gambling. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 22(3), 380–390.CrossRefPubMed

Wulfert, E., Franco, C., Sodano, R., Harris, K., Blanco, C., & Blanchard, E. (in press). Retaining pathological gamblers in treatment: Cognitive-motivational behavior therapy. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

Wulfert, E., Maxson, J., & Jardin, B. (in press). Cue-specific reactivity in experienced gamblers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

Wulfert, E., Roland, B. D., Hartley, J., Wang, N., & Franco, C. (2005). Heart rate arousal and excitement in gambling: Winners versus losers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19(3), 311–316.CrossRefPubMed

Title: Cue Reactivity in Active Pathological, Abstinent Pathological, and Regular Gamblers
Authors: Ruthlyn Sodano
Edelgard Wulfert
Publication date: 01-03-2010
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-009-9146-8

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Cue Reactivity in Active Pathological, Abstinent Pathological, and Regular Gamblers

Abstract

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2010

Motivators for Resolving or Seeking Help for Gambling Problems: A Review of the Empirical Literature

One Decade of Self Exclusion: Missouri Casino Self-Excluders Four to Ten Years after Enrollment

Impact of Mode of Display and Message Content of Responsible Gambling Signs for Electronic Gaming Machines on Regular Gamblers

Who Plays What? Participation Profiles in Chance Versus Skill-based Gambling

The Influence of Substance Dependence and Mood Disorders on Outcome from Pathological Gambling: Five-Year Follow-Up

Anticipated Regret, Risk Perception, or Both: Which is Most Likely Responsible for Our Intention to Gamble?