Adaptation of the Online Problem Gambling Behavior Index: Associations with Emotional Reactivity and Psychological Distress.

Abstract

Problematic online gambling has emerged as a growing behavioral health concern, fueled by the accessibility, anonymity, and immediacy of digital gambling environments. This two-phase study aimed to adapt the "Online Problem Gambling Behavior Index (OPGBI)" for Turkish-speaking populations and to examine the affective mechanisms underlying problematic gambling behavior through the lens of the Emotion Dysregulation Model. In Study-I (N = 674; 62.6% male; M_age = 35.23), confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor structure: gambling behavior, limit-setting, and communication with operators, demonstrating strong internal consistency, good model fit, and gender-based measurement invariance. In Study-II (N = 813; 65% male; M_age = 34.76), structural equation modeling tested a mediation model in which emotional reactivity predicted problematic gambling behavior both directly and indirectly via psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress). Results demonstrated robust direct effects of emotional reactivity across all OPGBI dimensions, with stress emerging as the most consistent mediator. Bootstrapped analyses confirmed the significance of indirect pathways. Collectively, the findings validate the Turkish version of the OPGBI as a psychometrically sound, culturally responsive instrument and underscore the central role of emotional vulnerability in the development of online gambling problems.