Co-morbidity of Behavioral Addictions in Gambling Disorder and Its Relationship to Impulsivity

Abstract (200 Words): It is well established that gambling disorder frequently co-occurs with other substance use disorders. Yet, relatively few studies have examined the co-morbidity of gambling disorder with other behavioral addictions. The present study investigated the association between gambling disorder and behavioral addictions in a large sample of community recruited gamblers (N= 564). The Problem Gambling Severity Index provided a measure of disordered gambling, whereas the Behavioral Addiction Measure was used to assess a wide array of behavioral addictions. Furthermore, we examined whether facets of impulsivity as measured by the UPPS-P differentiated gamblers with and without co-morbid behavioral addictions. Of the total sample, 141 (25%) were classified as likely having a gambling disorder. A significant portion of participants with gambling disorder also presented with a co-morbid behavioral addiction (n = 60, 42.6%). The most frequently co-morbid behavioral addictions were shopping (19.1%), sex (15.6%), and gaming (14.9%). Participants with a co-morbid gambling and behavioral addiction reported significantly higher levels of positive urgency and sensation seeking. The results suggest that behavioral addictions are a common co-morbidity in individuals with a gambling disorder and that impulsivity may represent a shared risk factor for both gambling and behavioral addictions. Implications (50 words): The results suggest that greater clinical attention is warranted in the screening and treatment of co-morbid gambling and behavioral addictions given their high co-occurrence. Furthermore, these findings indicate that impulsivity may represent a potential transdiagnostic mechanism in both gambling disorder and behavioral addictions