Alexithymia and pathological gambling: The mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine to what extent the level of alexithymia and difficulties in emotion regulation can predict pathological gambling. The research also examines the mediating role of emotional dysregulation in the relationship between alexithymia and pathological gambling. Method: The sample consists of 246 male gamblers. The average age was 33.30 years with a standard deviation of 11.62. In addition to the sociodemographic form, The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) were used to collect data. Results: Regression analyses revealed that the amount of money bet on gambling, total score of TAS-20, and DERS significantly predicted pathological gambling. Furthermore, difficulties in emotion regulation have a partial mediator role in the relationship between alexithymia and pathological gambling. Conclusion: It is argued that individuals with high levels of alexithymia become prone to addictive behavior via emotional dysregulation. In addition to the alexithymia, difficulties in emotion regulation also play an important role in pathological gambling. In this context, this study contributes to relevant literature by discussing alexithymia, emotion regulation, and pathological gambling in relation with one another.