What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model
IntroductionWhile individuals have many motives to gamble, one particularly risky motive for gambling is to cope with negative affect. Conflict with one’s romantic partner is a strong predictor of negative affect, which may elicit coping motives for gambling and, in turn, gambling-related problems....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1018098/full |
| _version_ | 1797637346554806272 |
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| author | Amanda E. F. Hagen Raquel Nogueira-Arjona Simon B. Sherry Lindsey M. Rodriguez Igor Yakovenko Igor Yakovenko Sherry H. Stewart Sherry H. Stewart |
| author_facet | Amanda E. F. Hagen Raquel Nogueira-Arjona Simon B. Sherry Lindsey M. Rodriguez Igor Yakovenko Igor Yakovenko Sherry H. Stewart Sherry H. Stewart |
| author_sort | Amanda E. F. Hagen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionWhile individuals have many motives to gamble, one particularly risky motive for gambling is to cope with negative affect. Conflict with one’s romantic partner is a strong predictor of negative affect, which may elicit coping motives for gambling and, in turn, gambling-related problems. Support for this mediational model was demonstrated in relation to drinking-related problems. We extended this model to gambling.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, we examined links between romantic conflict (Partner-Specific Rejecting Behaviors Scale), negative affect (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21), coping gambling motives (Gambling Motives Questionnaire, coping subscale), and gambling-related problems [Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)] in 206 regular gamblers (64% men; mean age = 44.7 years; mean PGSI = 8.7) who were in a romantic relationship and recruited through Qualtrics Panels in July 2021.ResultsResults supported our hypothesis that the model would explain a significant amount of variance in gambling-related problems, β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.24, 0.47], and that the association between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems would be sequentially mediated through negative affect and coping gambling motives, β = 0.07, 95% CI [0.03, 0.11], and also showed a strong single mediation pathway through negative affect alone, β = 0.24, 95% CI [0.16, 0.35].DiscussionNegative affect and coping gambling motives partially explain the link between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems. Interventions should target both negative affect and coping gambling motives in response to romantic conflict to reduce gambling-related problems in partnered gamblers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:48:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c50b55015cfa40239b20b8303229d4c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:48:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c50b55015cfa40239b20b8303229d4c42023-11-04T15:22:32ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-07-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.10180981018098What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational modelAmanda E. F. Hagen0Raquel Nogueira-Arjona1Simon B. Sherry2Lindsey M. Rodriguez3Igor Yakovenko4Igor Yakovenko5Sherry H. Stewart6Sherry H. Stewart7Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaSchool of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus, Tampa, FL, United StatesDepartment of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaDepartment of Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaIntroductionWhile individuals have many motives to gamble, one particularly risky motive for gambling is to cope with negative affect. Conflict with one’s romantic partner is a strong predictor of negative affect, which may elicit coping motives for gambling and, in turn, gambling-related problems. Support for this mediational model was demonstrated in relation to drinking-related problems. We extended this model to gambling.MethodUsing a cross-sectional design, we examined links between romantic conflict (Partner-Specific Rejecting Behaviors Scale), negative affect (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21), coping gambling motives (Gambling Motives Questionnaire, coping subscale), and gambling-related problems [Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)] in 206 regular gamblers (64% men; mean age = 44.7 years; mean PGSI = 8.7) who were in a romantic relationship and recruited through Qualtrics Panels in July 2021.ResultsResults supported our hypothesis that the model would explain a significant amount of variance in gambling-related problems, β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.24, 0.47], and that the association between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems would be sequentially mediated through negative affect and coping gambling motives, β = 0.07, 95% CI [0.03, 0.11], and also showed a strong single mediation pathway through negative affect alone, β = 0.24, 95% CI [0.16, 0.35].DiscussionNegative affect and coping gambling motives partially explain the link between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems. Interventions should target both negative affect and coping gambling motives in response to romantic conflict to reduce gambling-related problems in partnered gamblers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1018098/fullgamblingproblem gamblingromantic conflictcoping motivesnegative affect |
| spellingShingle | Amanda E. F. Hagen Raquel Nogueira-Arjona Simon B. Sherry Lindsey M. Rodriguez Igor Yakovenko Igor Yakovenko Sherry H. Stewart Sherry H. Stewart What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model Frontiers in Psychology gambling problem gambling romantic conflict coping motives negative affect |
| title | What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model |
| title_full | What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model |
| title_fullStr | What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model |
| title_full_unstemmed | What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model |
| title_short | What explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediational model |
| title_sort | what explains the link between romantic conflict with gambling problems testing a serial mediational model |
| topic | gambling problem gambling romantic conflict coping motives negative affect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1018098/full |
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