TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Marazziti, Donatella
AU  -  Picchetti, Michela
AU  -  Baroni, Stefano
AU  -  Consoli, Giorgio
AU  -  Ceresoli, Diana
AU  -  Massimetti, Gabriele
AU  -  Catena Dell'Osso, Mario
T1  -  Pathological gambling and impulsivity: an Italian study
PY  -  2014
Y1  -  2014-03-01
DO  -  10.1708/1461.16149
JO  -  Rivista di Psichiatria
JA  -  Riv Psichiatr
VL  -  49
IS  -  2
SP  -  95
EP  -  99
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2038-2502
Y2  -  2026/04/28
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/1461.16149
N2  -  summary. Aim. Although the precise nature of pathological gambling (PG) is still elusive, currently it is considered an impulse-control disorder that shares several features with substance dependence, such as deficit in self-regulation and impaired impulsivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impulsivity of PG patients by means of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, version 11 (BIS-11), as compared with healthy control subjects, and to explore the possible correlations with gambling severity. Methods. Thirty-five outpatients (all men) with a diagnosis of PG were recruited at their first psychiatric interview in a psychiatric outpatient ward, and compared with a similar group of healthy control subjects. The severity of PG was assessed by means of the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). Results. The results showed that the BIS-11 total score, as well as the scores of different factors (motor impulsity and cognitive complexity) and subscales (motor and non-planning impulsivity) were significantly higher in PG patients than in control subjects. In addition, positive correlations were detected between the SOGS and the BIS-11 total scores, and the attention and cognitive instability factor scores, or the attentional and motor impulsivity (rs=0.459, p=.021) subscale scores. Conclusions. These findings support the notion that impulsivity represents a core element of PG linked to the severity of the clinical picture.
ER  -