Somewhere between illusion of control and powerlessness : trying to situate the pathological gambler's locus of control

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_A375908A107C
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Somewhere between illusion of control and powerlessness : trying to situate the pathological gambler's locus of control
Journal
International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology
Author(s)
Meyer de Stadelhofen F., Aufrère L., Besson J., Rossier J.
ISSN
1697-2600
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2009
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
9
Number
1
Pages
117-126
Language
english
Abstract
It has been suggested that pathological gamblers develop illusory perceptions of control regarding the outcome of the games and should express higher Internal and Chance locus of control. A sample of 48 outpatients diagnosed with pathological gambling disorder who participated in this ex post facto study, completed the Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance scale, the South Oaks Gambling Screen questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results for the locus of control measure were compared with a reference group. Pathological gamblers scored higher than the reference group on the Chance locus of control, which increased with the severity of cases. Moreover, Internal locus of control did show a curvilinear relationship with the severity of cases. Pathological gamblers have specific locus of control scores that vary in function of the severity, in a linear fashion or a non-linear fashion according to the scale. This effect might be caused by competition between "illusion of control" and the tendency to attribute adverse consequence of gambling to external causes.
Keywords
Pathological gambling, personality traits, locus of control, depression, ex post facto study
Web of science
Create date
16/02/2009 13:20
Last modification date
20/08/2019 15:09
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