The relation of psychopathology with gambling and alcohol and substance abuse

The statement of the problem: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between individuals' psychopathology and gambling behavior, alcohol and substance abuse. The hypothesis of the study claimed that people who show psychopathological symptoms involve in gambling behavior, alcohol and substance abuse and there is a positive relation between these variables. Method: Three hundred and forty seven people attended to the study via online (n=189; 140 women, 49 men) and printed forms (n=158, 97 women and 61 men) as volunteers in universities, offices and social places (such as cafes). Participants applied The Symptom Assessment Questionnaire SA-45, The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and The Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) in addition to informed consent form and demographic information form. Results: According to the correlation analyses that was conducted for collected data, there is positive relation between psychopathological symptoms and gambling behavior, alcohol and drug abuse. The hypothesis is supported. Anxiety, depression, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, somatization symptoms and general characteristics of symptoms (positive symptom total and global severity index) had significant relation with gambling behavior and alcohol and drug abuse. Symptoms such as paranoid ideation, phobic anxiety and psychoticism had relation with different variables. According to regression analyses results; hostility, somatization, anxiety and psychoticism symptoms predicted gambling behavior; hostility symptoms predicted alcohol abuse and hostility, depression and paranoid ideation symptoms predicted drug abuse. Conclusion: Under the light of the findings, it could be predicted that people who have aforementioned psychopathological symptoms might involve in gambling behavior, alcohol and drug abuse in the future. Key words: Psychopathology, gambling, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and addiction