Wood Richard T A, Griffiths Mark D
International Gaming Research Unit, Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Psychol Psychother. 2007 Mar;80(Pt 1):107-25. doi: 10.1348/147608306X107881.
There has been a small but growing body, of largely quantitative research, that has examined problem gambling in the context of poor coping skills. These studies suggest that gambling may be used as an alternative method of coping that some will use to distract themselves from having to deal with problems in their lives.
To examine the role that gambling plays in the lives of problem gamblers and the extent to which it may be used as a means of coping.
Fifty problem gamblers, ranging in age from 18 to 63 years, with an average age of 39 years, were interviewed. The focus of the interview was upon the participant's accounts of how their gambling problem had developed and the role that gambling played in their lives. A structured grounded theory approach was utilized.
Following the selective coding process, 'gambling to escape' was identified as the core category. This state was achieved through 'mood modification', involving fantasies, dissociation and/or changes in arousal. For some problem gamblers seeking mood modification was their primary motivation. For others mood modification was sought as a means to cope with one or two other psychological and/or psychosocial states consisting of 'filling the void' and/or 'avoiding problems'. Two other factors sometimes influenced the need to gamble, either directly through 'control beliefs' or through 'cognitive regret'.
Escape was the prime characteristic of the gambling experience that facilitated the continuation of problem gambling among the interviewed participants. In relation to these findings, the implications for prevention, intervention, treatment and future research are discussed.
有一小部分但数量在不断增加的主要是定量研究的文献，探讨了在应对技能较差的背景下的问题赌博。这些研究表明，赌博可能被用作一种替代的应对方式，有些人会用它来分散自己处理生活中问题的注意力。
研究赌博在问题赌徒生活中所起的作用，以及它作为一种应对方式的使用程度。
对50名年龄在18岁至63岁之间、平均年龄为39岁的问题赌徒进行了访谈。访谈的重点是参与者对其赌博问题如何发展以及赌博在他们生活中所起作用的描述。采用了结构化的扎根理论方法。
经过选择性编码过程，“为逃避而赌博”被确定为核心类别。这种状态是通过“情绪调节”实现的，包括幻想、解离和/或唤醒状态的改变。对于一些问题赌徒来说，寻求情绪调节是他们的主要动机。对于另一些人来说，情绪调节是作为应对由“填补空虚”和/或“避免问题”组成的一两种其他心理和/或社会心理状态的一种方式。另外两个因素有时会直接通过“控制信念”或通过“认知后悔”影响赌博的需求。
逃避是赌博体验的主要特征，这促使受访参与者中问题赌博行为持续存在。针对这些发现，讨论了对预防、干预、治疗和未来研究的启示。
