Gambling Addictions, Arousal, and an Affective/Decision-Making Explanation of Behavioral Reversions or Relapses

Abstract

Cognitive-behavioral models of behavioral reversions or relapses in the addictions are inevitably incomplete because they miss affective and decision-making factors in the relapse process. They overemphasize the importance of external “relapse-provoking” situations and undervalue or ignore important intrapersonal determining processes. A theoretical model of an affective/decision-making factor in reversions or relapses, derived from studies in the role of arousal in gambling addictions, is developed and applied to addictions in general. Some of the implications of this model for the further classification and study of behavioral reversions are explored, and the options for testing it empirically are outlined.