Gambling and psychotropic substance consumption; prevalence, coexistence and consequences

The present article is a critical review of research examining the relation ship between pathological gambling and drug/alcohol addiction in adults and adolescents. We present diagnostic criteria and prevalence estimates for e ach population. In adults, the prevalence of drug or alcohol dependence is five time greater among pathological gamblers in treatment than it is among the general population. Adults with both disorders exhibit greater levels of impulsiveness and disinhibition than individuals with a single diagnosis . The few studies that have investigated the co-morbidity of pathological g ambling and drug/alcohol addiction in adolescents yield results similar to those obtained in adults. Pathological gambling is highly correlated with d rug, alcohol and cigarette consumption. Moreover, impulsiveness is greater among adolescents with a co-morbid diagnosis. This review suggests the impo rtance for treatment and prevention programs to take into account the possi ble co-morbidity among these disorders.