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Impulsivity as a Moderator and Mediator Between Life Stress and Pathological Gambling among Chinese Treatment-Seeking Gamblers

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Abstract

This study examined the role of impulsivity and its interplay with gambling correlates in influencing the severity of pathological gambling in Chinese societies. It also investigated the extent to which impulsivity would moderate and/or mediate the relationship between life stress and pathological gambling in 94 Chinese treatment-seeking gamblers. Results of a hierarchical regression analysis showed that years of gambling, life stress, and impulsivity were significant correlates of pathological gambling. Post-hoc analyses of a significant impulsivity x life stress 2-way interaction effect indicated that life stress was significantly associated with pathological gambling among participants with low impulsivity only, whereas pathological gambling remained high regardless of the stress level among participants with high impulsivity. Bootstrapping results also showed that impulsivity partially mediated the influence of life stress on pathological gambling. Findings have implications for gambling treatment programs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, AS4, Level 2, 9 Arts Link, Singapore, Singapore

    Catherine So-kum Tang

  2. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Macau, Macao, China

    Anise M. S. Wu

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  1. Catherine So-kum Tang
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  2. Anise M. S. Wu
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Correspondence to Catherine So-kum Tang.

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Tang, C.Sk., Wu, A.M.S. Impulsivity as a Moderator and Mediator Between Life Stress and Pathological Gambling among Chinese Treatment-Seeking Gamblers. Int J Ment Health Addiction 10, 573–584 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-011-9355-0

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