Can Positive Play Deficits Explain the Associations Between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Gambling Motives, and Problem Gambling? Results of a National U.S. Sample.

Abstract

Past research has demonstrated a consistent connection between symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problematic gambling in both general and clinical United States (U.S.) populations. Little is known, however, about the mediating role that responsible gambling practices related to positive play might have in the relationships between symptoms of PTSD, problem gambling (PG) severity, and different motives for gambling. Therefore, using mediation analysis, this study investigated these associations within a census-matched national sample of U.S. adults (N = 2,806). Results indicated PTSD symptoms and PG often co-occur in this population (r = .43, p < .01), and coping motives for gambling were the key mechanism connecting PTSD symptoms to PG severity rather than deficits in positive play practices or other gambling motives. Moreover, it was found that the average gambler who had sought treatment for gambling in the past not only had more severe PTSD symptoms and PG but also had the strongest gambling motives, the largest deficits in positive play, and was more likely to be younger than 50 years old. In this sample, approximately 1 in 10 people who gambled in the past year were classified as problem gamblers, 1 in 5 met criteria for a provisional PTSD diagnosis, and 1 in 33 sought out gambling treatment previously. These findings provide further evidence for the relationship between symptoms of posttraumatic stress and problematic gambling behaviors in the U.S. population and offer critical insights into the explanatory roles of coping motives and positive play practices in this connection.