PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING AMONG METHADONE PATIENTS

This paper examines the correlates of problem gambling among a populat ion of 220 methadone patients receiving treatment in the New York metr opolitan area. Like most methadone patients, respondents were primaril y adult males, ethnically mixed, of limited educational accomplishment and had long experiences with intravenous drug use. More than two-thi rds of subjects had been convicted of one or more criminal offences. A nalysis of the data showed seven percent of respondents to be probable pathological gamblers according to the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SO GS), indicating a high rate of gambling problems among this treatment population. Consistent with past studies, problem gamblers are more li kely to be men, with histories of alcohol abuse, and with extensive cr iminal participation dating back to their teenage years. The data also suggested that problem gamblers who were also drug dependent were mor e likely to show greater evidence of social dysfunctionality compared to those who were exclusively substance abusers. More dually addicted respondents reported higher levels of recent heroin use, greater unemp loyment, and more reported hallucinations. Probable pathological gambl ers who were substance abusers were also more likely to report being i n conflict with their close friends. A multiple regression analysis su ggested this to be the closest linked correlate to being a pathologica l gambler. Evidently, pathological gamblers create antipathy towards t hemselves as their compulsion to gamble is expressed; this in turn, ma y drive them toward further gambling, as they respond to this perceive d opposition. These last preliminary findings will require further con firmation in future research.