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Open Access 01-03-2021 | Original Paper

Mentalizing Failures, Emotional Dysregulation, and Cognitive Distortions Among Adolescent Problem Gamblers

Authors: Maria Ciccarelli, Giovanna Nigro, Francesca D’Olimpio, Mark D. Griffiths, Marina Cosenza

Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Over the past decade, several studies have investigated the relationship between cognitive distortions and emotion regulation among adolescent gamblers, demonstrating the exacerbating role of alcohol consumption when co-occurring with gambling problems. An important construct, that to date has been largely neglected, is mentalizing (i.e. the ability to reflect on one's own and others' mental states). The aim of the present study was (for the first time) to investigate the relative contribution of mentalization, emotional dysregulation, cognitive distortions, and alcohol consumption among adolescent gamblers. A total of 396 students (69.2% females) aged 14–19 years were recruited from secondary schools in Southern Italy. Assessment measures included the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS), and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Regression analysis showed that, along with male gender, the best predictors of adolescent gambling were scores on two GRCS subscales (i.e., ‘inability to stop gambling’ and ‘interpretative bias’), the RFQ-8’s ‘uncertainty about mental states’ dimension, and the DERS ‘impulse control difficulties’ factor, with the overall model explaining more than one-third of the total variance. The results clearly indicated that, along with gambling-related cognitive distortions, uncertainty about mental states, and difficulties remaining in control of one’s behavior when experiencing negative emotions contributed significantly to problematic gambling among adolescents.

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Title: Mentalizing Failures, Emotional Dysregulation, and Cognitive Distortions Among Adolescent Problem Gamblers
Authors: Maria Ciccarelli
Giovanna Nigro
Francesca D’Olimpio
Mark D. Griffiths
Marina Cosenza
Publication date: 01-03-2021
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Gambling Studies / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-020-09967-w

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Mentalizing Failures, Emotional Dysregulation, and Cognitive Distortions Among Adolescent Problem Gamblers

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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