What explains the link of romantic conflict with gambling problems? Testing a serial mediation model. 

A new article by Dr Raquel Nogueira-Arjona studying links between romantic conflict, negative affect, gambling motives, & gambling-related problems

Hagen, Amanda AF, Nogueira Arjona, Raquel, Sherry, Simon B, Rodriguez, Lindsey M, Yakovenko, Igor and Stewart, Sherry H (2023) Frontiers in Psychology. ISSN 1664-1078

Abstract: While 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 (Lambe et al., 2015). We extended this model to gambling. Using 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. Results supported our hypothesis that the association between romantic conflict and gambling-related problems would be sequentially mediated through negative affect and coping gambling motives, β = .38, 95% CI [.27, .39], and also showed a strong single mediation pathway through negative affect alone, β = .27, 95% CI [.17, .38]. 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/abstract

https://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/112318/

Further information: https://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/112318/