The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The WAGER, 3(21) - Co-morbidity Among Texan Adults

A recent study investigated the prevalence of problem gambling and substance abuse among Texan adults in the general population1. In addition, this study examined patterns in help-seeking behavior. A random sample of adult Texans were surveyed by telephone about their gambling and substance use, with a response rate of 67%. The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) was used to classify pathological gamblers (scores of 5 or more) and problem gamblers (scores of 3 or more); in this study all respondents with scores of 3 or more were considered “problem gamblers”. Substance abuse was measured by an adapted version of the... Read more →

The WAGER, 3(20) - Problem Gambling Hotline Callers

A meta-analysis of disordered gambling found that rates of disordered gambling among adults sampled from the general population in the United States have increased over time (1). This effect, called a period effect, represents a specific era in time associated with a higher prevalence of pathological gambling. One possible hypothesis regarding this effect is that as new gambling opportunities are introduced into a region, rates of disor­dered gambling will increase. This hypothesis implies that as individuals are attracted to new gambling opportuni­ties, those who are most vulnerable will develop gambling problems. New Zealand researchers recently explored the rate and profile... Read more →

The WAGER, 3(19) - Impulsiveness and Problem Gambling

One of the challenges of research is interpreting associations. For example, finding an association between impulsiveness and pathological gambling among a sample does not necessarily provide information about which phenomenon preceded the other. Being impulsive may increase vulnerability to developing gambling problems, gambling problems could facilitate impulsiveness, or a third phenomenon could bring about both impulsiveness and pathological gambling. The primary study design that allows for a look at these temporal questions is a longitudinal study. Recent research among a cohort of French-speaking Caucasian boys living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada examined the association between impulsiveness and problem gambling1.... Read more →

The WAGER, 3(18) - Gambling, Family, and Criminal Behavior

This week in Massachusetts a jury found Edward Donahue guilty of premeditated first-degree murder of his wife. The murder attracted media attention because of the shocking details of the crime. Donahue beat his wife to death with a baseball bat, then stashed her body in a container in his basement for a month before moving the body to a storage locker. He was arrested after a search uncovered the receipt to the storage facility. Donahue is said to have had a gambling problem (1). In the trial, the prosecuting attorney argued that Donahue’s motive for killing his wife was to... Read more →