Types of Emotion Regulation and Their Associations with Gambling: A Cross-Sectional Study with Disordered and Non-problem Ecuadorian Gamblers

AbstractThis cross-sectional study was aimed at investigating the role of emotional regulation in regular gambling in a sample of 197 disordered and non-problem gamblers from Ecuador. Two proxies were used as measures of behavioral signs ofgeneralized emotion dysregulation (UPPS-P emotion-driven impulsivity) andintentional emotion regulation strategies (ERQ), and their associations with gambling cognitions (as measured by the GRCS questionnaire), gambling behavior (SOGS), and comorbid alcohol and drug misuse (MultiCAGE), were explored. For analyses, impulsivity traits, including emotion-driven impulsivity scores, were used as inputs to predict dispositional variables (ERQ strategies and GRCS cognitions), and clinically relevant behavioral outputs, while controlling for gambling severity. Hypotheses were based on previously published work, although the analysis has been improved (using hierarchical linear mixed-effects modelling), and homogenized in covariate control, and decision threshold stringency. Results were as follows: (1) After controlling for relevant covariates, UPPS-P sensation seeking was positively associated with gambling cognitions, whereas positive urgency was positively associated with cognitive biases (interpretative bias, control illusion, and predictive control) but not with other gambling cognitions. (2) Among emotion regulation strategies, reappraisal, but not suppression, was associated with gambling cognitions. (3) Negative urgency was distinctively as...
Source: Journal of Gambling Studies - Category: Addiction Source Type: research