Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization
Background: Several studies demonstrated that insecure attachment style represents a risk factor for gambling behavior. The recent literature strongly argues that attachment could be better described as a dimensional construct, in as much as variations in attachment seem to exist on a graded continu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Messina
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3446 |
| _version_ | 1797961255606026240 |
|---|---|
| author | Marina Cosenza Maria Ciccarelli Mariagiulia Sacco Giovanna Nigro Barbara Pizzini |
| author_facet | Marina Cosenza Maria Ciccarelli Mariagiulia Sacco Giovanna Nigro Barbara Pizzini |
| author_sort | Marina Cosenza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Several studies demonstrated that insecure attachment style represents a risk factor for gambling behavior. The recent literature strongly argues that attachment could be better described as a dimensional construct, in as much as variations in attachment seem to exist on a graded continuum rather than in categories, better grasped by dimensional models. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of specific attachment dimensions in adolescent gambling. Moreover, even if the role of attachment style on mentalization abilities and their influence on gambling are well established, no studies have so far investigated how attachment dimensions and mentalization interact each other in influencing gambling behavior. The present study was aimed to clarify the role of specific dimensions of attachment in adolescent gambling and to explore, for the first time, the causal relationships between attachment, mentalization, and adolescent gambling.
Methods: Four hundred and eighty-two adolescents aged 16-20 years were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8).
Results: The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that high scores on Uncertainty about mental states (RFQ-8) and Preoccupation with relationships (ASQ) were significant predictors of gambling severity. Moreover, mediational analysis revealed that the effect of Preoccupation with relationships on gambling severity was totally mediated by Uncertainty about mental states.
Conclusion: The present study provided, for the first time, insight into the interrelationships between attachment dimensions, mentalization, and gambling severity, and suggested that preoccupation with relationships may be an important precursor to gambling and support the hypothesis that adolescents preoccupied with relationships have more severe gambling involvement due to poor mentalization abilities. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:57:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0fbf37a107724523b933401a5a33f169 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2282-1619 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:57:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Messina |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0fbf37a107724523b933401a5a33f1692023-01-05T01:01:24ZengUniversity of MessinaMediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology2282-16192022-12-0110310.13129/2282-1619/mjcp-34462894Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalizationMarina Cosenza0Maria Ciccarelli1Mariagiulia Sacco2Giovanna Nigro3Barbara Pizzini4Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, CasertaDepartment of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, CasertaDepartment of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, CasertaDepartment of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, CasertaDepartment of Psychology, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100, CasertaBackground: Several studies demonstrated that insecure attachment style represents a risk factor for gambling behavior. The recent literature strongly argues that attachment could be better described as a dimensional construct, in as much as variations in attachment seem to exist on a graded continuum rather than in categories, better grasped by dimensional models. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of specific attachment dimensions in adolescent gambling. Moreover, even if the role of attachment style on mentalization abilities and their influence on gambling are well established, no studies have so far investigated how attachment dimensions and mentalization interact each other in influencing gambling behavior. The present study was aimed to clarify the role of specific dimensions of attachment in adolescent gambling and to explore, for the first time, the causal relationships between attachment, mentalization, and adolescent gambling. Methods: Four hundred and eighty-two adolescents aged 16-20 years were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8). Results: The results of the hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that high scores on Uncertainty about mental states (RFQ-8) and Preoccupation with relationships (ASQ) were significant predictors of gambling severity. Moreover, mediational analysis revealed that the effect of Preoccupation with relationships on gambling severity was totally mediated by Uncertainty about mental states. Conclusion: The present study provided, for the first time, insight into the interrelationships between attachment dimensions, mentalization, and gambling severity, and suggested that preoccupation with relationships may be an important precursor to gambling and support the hypothesis that adolescents preoccupied with relationships have more severe gambling involvement due to poor mentalization abilities. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3446gamblingadolescent gamblingmentalizationattachment dimensionsmediation analysisclinical psychology. |
| spellingShingle | Marina Cosenza Maria Ciccarelli Mariagiulia Sacco Giovanna Nigro Barbara Pizzini Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology gambling adolescent gambling mentalization attachment dimensions mediation analysis clinical psychology. |
| title | Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization |
| title_full | Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization |
| title_fullStr | Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization |
| title_short | Attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling: The mediating role of mentalization |
| title_sort | attachment dimensions and adolescent gambling the mediating role of mentalization |
| topic | gambling adolescent gambling mentalization attachment dimensions mediation analysis clinical psychology. |
| url | https://cab.unime.it/journals/index.php/MJCP/article/view/3446 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marinacosenza attachmentdimensionsandadolescentgamblingthemediatingroleofmentalization AT mariaciccarelli attachmentdimensionsandadolescentgamblingthemediatingroleofmentalization AT mariagiuliasacco attachmentdimensionsandadolescentgamblingthemediatingroleofmentalization AT giovannanigro attachmentdimensionsandadolescentgamblingthemediatingroleofmentalization AT barbarapizzini attachmentdimensionsandadolescentgamblingthemediatingroleofmentalization |