Assessing the Relationship Between Gambling Disorder and Psychosis: Clinical Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Treatment

The proposed presentation will present the results of a series of studies investigating the co-morbidity of gambling disorder (GD) and psychotic disorders. Study 1 assessed the prevalence and clinical characteristics of treatment-seeking gamblers (N=349) who were diagnosed with comorbid psychosis. Study 2 assessed whether impulsivity mediated the association between co-morbid GD and psychosis and increased gambling severity. In Study 3, we examined the efficacy of working memory training in reducing gambling behaviors and impulsivity in individuals with comorbid schizophrenia and GD recruited from the community (N=83). The results found that 7.5% of the treatment-seeking sample and 11% of the community sample met criteria for both GD and psychotic disorders. Co-morbid GD and psychosis was associated with greater gambling severity and increased presence of additional psychiatric disorders including suicidality and addictive disorders. Impulsivity was found to mediate the association between co-morbid GD and psychosis and increased gambling severity. Participants who were randomly assigned to the working memory training condition endorsed a significant decline in gambling severity compared to active and passive control groups. There were no significant effects on impulsivity. The results highlight the complex treatment needs of this dual diagnosis population and may present a potential treatment option