@article{ref1,
title="Personality and problem gambling: a prospective study of a birth cohort of young adults",
journal="Archives of general psychiatry",
year="2005",
author="Slutske, W. S. and Caspi, Avshalom and Moffitt, Terrie E. and Poulton, Richie",
volume="62",
number="7",
pages="769-775",
abstract="CONTEXT: Individual differences in dimensions of personality may play an important role in explaining risk for disordered gambling behavior as well as the comorbidity between disordered gambling behavior and other substance-related addictive disorders. OBJECTIVES: To identify the personality correlates of problem gambling in a representative non-treatment-seeking sample, as well as to determine whether these are similar to the personality correlates of other substance-related addictive disorders and whether individual differences in personality might account for the comorbidity between disordered gambling behavior and other substance-related addictive disorders. DESIGN: Longitudinal population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: A complete birth cohort of young adults born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973 (N = 939; 475 men, 464 women). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire assessments of personality were obtained at age 18 years; structured interview-based diagnoses of past-year problem gambling and alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependence were obtained at age 21 years. RESULTS: Problem gambling at age 21 years was associated with higher scores on the higher-order personality dimension of negative emotionality (d = 0.90) and with lower scores on the personality dimension of constraint (d = -0.72) measured at age 18 years compared with control subjects who did not have a past-year addictive disorder at age 21 years. Problem gambling was also associated with Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire indicators of risk-taking (d = 0.50) and impulsivity (d = 0.56). The personality profile associated with problem gambling was similar to the profiles associated with alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependence. The relations between problem gambling and the substance-related addictive disorders (odds ratios = 3.32-3.61) were reduced after controlling for individual differences in personality (odds ratios = 1.90-2.32). CONCLUSIONS: From the perspective of personality, problem gambling has much in common with the addictive disorders, as well as with the larger class of &quot;externalizing&quot; or &quot;disinhibitory&quot; disorders. Knowledge gained from the study of common personality underpinnings may be helpful in determining where disordered gambling behavior should reside in our diagnostic classification system.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0003-990X",
doi="10.1001/archpsyc.62.7.769",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.7.769"
}