Sleep and Gambling Severity in a Community Sample of Gamblers

Abstract

Although sleep has been extensively studied in substance related disorders, it has yet to be examined as thoroughly in gambling-related disorders. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between gambling severity and sleep disturbances in a sample of non-treatment seeking gamblers (N = 96) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Mean ESS scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 4.13, 5.81, and 8.69, respectively, with a significant difference between pathological gamblers and both problem (P = .007) and recreational gamblers (P < .001). Mean PSQI scores for recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers were 3.35, 5.30, and 5.44, respectively, with a significant difference in sleep quality between recreational and problem gamblers (P = .018), as well as recreational and pathological gamblers (P = .008). As the first study to use objective sleep measures, these findings will not only increase awareness of this relationship, but also provide a foundation on which others can investigate the benefits of screening and adjunct treatment for sleep disorders in the gambling population.

KEYWORDS:

• Gambling
• sleep
• insomnia
• daytime sleepiness
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
• Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant #: K23DA 19522-2) and the Annenberg Foundation.

Notes

Recreational gamblers were defined as having met 0 DSM-IV criteria for Pathological Gambling, while problem and pathological gamblers met 1–4 and greater than 5 criteria respectively. Preliminary analysis (Chi-square and ANOVA) did not find significant differences between recreational, problem, and pathological gamblers based on the above demographic criteria (α = 0.05). Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.