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Cognitive Distortions in Gamblers and Non-gamblers of a Representative Spanish Sample

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Abstract

Cognitive biases or distortions related to gambling, present in all people, are considered a relevant factor in the development of gambling-related problems. Objective: to establish whether the presence of these biases or cognitive distortions, in gamblers and non-gamblers, is related to the presence of gambling problems. Method: 3000 people aged 18–81 years, representative of the Spanish adult population, underwent a structured survey. Results: the presence of distortions was relevant to distinguish gamblers according to their level of gambling engagement and problems. There is a constant and significant tendency to have more cognitive distortions as gambling problems increase. But not all distortions have the same ability to distinguish between the different groups of gamblers. The results seem to group gamblers into three groups according to the presence of cognitive distortions, from less to more: (1) non-gamblers, (2) low-risk and at-risk gamblers, and (3) problem and pathological gamblers. The relevance of this research and its practical implications for both treatment and prevention work is discussed.

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Funding

This study was financed by the Sociedad Española de Apuestas y Loterias del Estado (Betting and Lotteries Spanish State Society).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, Ctra. de Húmera, s/n, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

    Marta Labrador, Francisco J. Labrador & María Crespo

  2. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Pais Vasco, Tolosa Hiribidea, 70, 20018, Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

    Enrique Echeburúa

  3. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Santiago de Compostela, Campus Vida, Calle Xosé María Suárez Núñez, s/n, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, Spain

    Elisardo Becoña

Authors
  1. Marta Labrador
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  2. Francisco J. Labrador
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  3. María Crespo
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  4. Enrique Echeburúa
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  5. Elisardo Becoña
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study design, analysis, and interpretation of data. The first author wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors contributed to and have approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Marta Labrador.

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Labrador, M., Labrador, F.J., Crespo, M. et al. Cognitive Distortions in Gamblers and Non-gamblers of a Representative Spanish Sample. J Gambl Stud 36, 207–222 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-019-09870-z

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